The Eyes Beyond My Face

3:30AM: The Wake Up Call

It was a rainy, gloomy Monday when Amber's alarm clock went off. She considered hitting the snooze button for five more minutes, but given her love for sleeping, that might not be the best idea. Inwardly, she expressed her gratitude to God for another day of life. Yet, something felt different today. Normally, she would spend several minutes in bed, role-playing the many possibilities she wanted to attract before starting her day. But this morning, she cheerfully made her bed, determined not to be tempted by the cozy, winter-white blankets to return to hibernation.

Like a zombie, she trudged into the bathroom, urinated, splashed cold water on her face, picked out her eye boogers, brushed her teeth, and headed for her favorite chair, which was currently the place of productivity in her life. As she settled into her favorite chair, the calm of the early morning gave her a moment to reflect on the new routines she had been diligently following. The room was still and peacefully quiet, and so were her thoughts. She was beginning to notice a pattern. For the past week or so, she had been getting up at 3:30 a.m., meditating, praying, becoming observant of her thoughts, and journaling. "Could it be paying off already?" she thought to herself. She felt in control. She knew it, but what happened later did not make her feel that way, at least not at first.

As the day unfolded, unexpected challenges arose, each one chipping away at her newfound sense of control. The calm morning gave way to a whirlwind of events that seemed determined to unravel everything she had worked so hard to achieve. With each passing hour, Amber felt her resolve waver, her confidence shaken. Little did she know, the true test of her progress was yet to come, and the real battle for her sense of control was only just beginning.