Defining Reality

Waking up to the sound of the 5:00 alarm... that is reality.

You pull yourself up from bed even though half of you is still asleep and wanting to compensate for the lack thereof. You fumble your way towards the bathroom to mark the beginning of another day.
You go through each routine religiously (from the shower, to blow-drying your hair, to putting on your make up while you sip your coffee and get dressed, to writing a note to the kids about not leaving anything in the sink, to starting up your car) while you watch the clock tic-toc to make sure you're on time. (You can't be a minute late; otherwise you'd get stuck in traffic and you'd lose your parking spot right in front of your building).

At work, you religiously do the job you're getting paid for... maybe even going above and beyond hoping for that raise. You tackle work issues diplomatically and gossip over lunch break.

After about 9 hours of work, it's time to go. Time to go means to take your work from your office to your home because you have a deadline to meet. Time to go doesn't mean it's the end of the day. Definitely not.

You try to sing along with the songs on the radio while you anxiously wait to get through the afternoon traffic. Sometimes you'd be fighting the urge to doze off, not solely from lack of sleep but also from mental exhaustion. Other times you'd be cursing at the way people behave on the road,but often times you'd be compiling a run-down of the day's activities and what lies ahead when you get home.

Before you make the next exit that will take you straight home, you'd take one exit before that because you have to pick up a few things from the store. Milk, eggs, bread... a bottle of soda. You'd rummage through the meat section for anything "on sale" and perhaps pick up a half gallon of ice cream.

On the way home, you may take another opposite turn because you have to pick up your suit from the dry cleaners or you may have to pick up your daughter from her friend's house -- which she usually does when there is a project to complete.

Back home, the "other half" of the day begins. You change from the professional to the typical mom. Hmmm. What's for dinner. Left-overs or ... ?? You debate over whether to cook the meat you just bought or to call for pizza delivery because you very well know those left-overs will remain left-overs and you have a paper to finish for the next day's meeting.

Either way, you'd still manage to sit with the children over dinner to discuss school and hear about whatever there is that mom needs to know.

Dinner is over. Kitchen is cleaned up. You're ready for the last phase of the day.
Before heading upstairs, you pick up the mail, sort through the junk, and exasperate over the endless bills to pay. You start to think. Numbers run through your head, making sure everything will be accounted for.

You head towards the desk by your bed. You write a few bills then attempt to finish that document that is due. You ignore the urge to watch TV. Afterall, your show is not on. Sleep wins over pleasure this time.

Sitting on the side of your bed, you say your nightly prayer: "Dear Lord, thank you for everything you have blessed me with. Thank you that I wake up every morning and sleep with peace of mind knowing tomorrow is another day. Amen."
... this is reality.