A Personal Essay: The Perfect Summer Morning
Today, I gave my kids a simple summer writing prompt to kick off the first day of summer vacation and to get us thinking about what our summer would look like this year: “Describe your perfect summer morning.” I decided to join in too! As a mom and entrepreneur, my ideal morning isn’t extravagant or picture-perfect. It’s slow, quiet, and connected. It’s real. Here’s my take on the prompt:
The Perfect Summer Morning
By Megan Hoffer
The reminiscence of the dream my mind had woven in the night dissolves like mist in the sunlight of awareness, which is beginning to touch the edges of my consciousness. There is a moment of blissful presence before my brain comes online and starts to process—What day is it? How do I feel? What’s on my to-do list for today? As the questions flood in uninvited, I close my eyes and turn onto my side, hugging my pillow and savoring the peace of waking without an alarm. I take a deep breath, drawing in the enticing aroma of coffee brewing downstairs. It must be at least seven o’clock then—time to get up.
I throw off my covers and swing my legs over the side of the bed, stretching my arms wide and yawning into full wakefulness. I pause to listen for the kids. Muffled sounds drift up the stairs and down the hall to me, signaling that they are awake but still in the daze of the TV screen's trance. My face breaks into a knowing smile. They try to be as quiet as possible because they know that as soon as I wake up, screentime is over.
After brushing my teeth and washing my face, the coffee silently beckons. I pad downstairs, ready to greet the day. Upon entering the living room on my way to answer coffee’s call, the kids don’t seem to notice me. I approach Finn first and, holding his head in my hands, kiss the top of his head and whisper, “Good morning, sweet boy. 5 minutes.” His answering grumble tells me he understands screen time is almost over. I move on to Rita. She gives me a welcoming squeal, pulling me in tight. I giggle, squeeze her back, and say, “Good mooooooorning, my dear!” She tells me she’s ready for breakfast, places her order, and follows me into the kitchen, chattering away.
Coffee is poured, breakfast is ready, and the three of us sit down to discuss the plan for the day: a few simple chores, a creative writing topic, and lots of playing with friends in the neighborhood. Simple. As the kids get dressed for the day, I check off a few work items on my to-do list while enjoying another cup of coffee. Then, I put on my workout clothes and work up a sweat while the kids do their chores. We all walk Char around the block, looking for which friends are home and available to play, and I lose sight of each kid at some point as they run off to play, promising to be home for lunch.
I walk inside the house, my black Labrador, Char, panting with satisfaction beside me, to a delicious quiet. I drink it in and trot up the stairs, plopping down on the meditation cushion resting beside the bed. After scrolling through my phone for a minute and realizing the irony of this action before meditating, I set the self-guided timer on the Happier App for 15 minutes, close my eyes, and attempt to focus on my breath, bringing my wandering mind back a thousand times— a thousand little bicep curls for my brain—until it ends. Feeling a sense of equanimity, I set a goal for the day: “I will be present with my family and save work for the in-between moments.” Because I know, after raising Finn and Rita’s older brothers, they will only ask to “Look, Mom!” for a few more years. Now is the time to enjoy them. “The days are long but the years are short,” I remind myself as I step into the shower.
It was fun to write this alongside my kids and share our versions of a perfect summer morning—each one uniquely ours. If you’ve never tried writing the same prompt as your kids, I highly recommend it. It turns a simple exercise into a shared experience, and you might be surprised what spills out when you give yourself space to reflect.
XX - Megan
