The hardwood floor feels smooth beneath my bare feet.

I can hear the birds outside singing their morning song as I turn the coffee maker on. I reach into the cabinet and grab my two favorite mugs.

I take a second to breathe and release as I pour my intention into the first cup.

Whatever the day may bring,
I’ll be grounded, grateful, present.

Noticing the details no one else will.

I pour some coffee for myself, then take the first mug and place it on my built-in bookshelf—how appropriate of an altar for a writer.

Sharing coffee with the unseen,
a token of my gratitude
for the guidance they bring.

By the time the coffee cools,
the room feels less empty—
not because anything has changed,
but because I’ve remembered
I don’t begin the day alone.