When I woke up this gloomy and quite wet morning, I didn’t immediately get out of bed. Quite the opposite actually, I stayed in bed, listening to my wife, Layla, breath. I think she is awake but her stillness doesn’t give me any clues on the matter. Both dogs sleep soundlessly under the covers, and yet I stay in bed listening to the silence. I feel Layla stretch and then roll over, we lock eyes and I smile as she rolls over into my arms. She insists that we need to get up and get ready for work but I won’t let her leave. Finally Loki, the Italian greyhound, shakes off his sleep, trots over to me and lays down on my chest. We both start to laugh as Loki sticks his butt up in the air and gives a little bark. Layla takes this opportunity to roll out of bed and walks out of the room; I follow suit, and begin the shower. As I’m getting ready for work, a job that I only tolerate because it pays the bills, I think about the next part of my book that I want to write. I scribble down ideas on paper towels and sticky notes as I shave and dress for work. All I want to do today is write, but I will be gone until after 11:30 pm and know that nothing will get done today. I grab a quick bite for breakfast and reflect on the long day ahead of me and how all I want to be doing is spending time with my family and writing. Knowing that I have to go to work, in order to pay my bills, does little to quell my strong desire to stay home and write today, but in the end, my need to provide for my family wins out over my desires, and I kiss my wife goodbye as I leave for work.
