Week 6 Day 4: Yippee
Question: Do you greet the day with a growl or a yippee?
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Transcript of Video:
One of the jobs I have here at the Monastery – and probably my favorite job by far – is I get to take care of the Monastery’s dog, our four-year-old Labradoodle. Her name is Sophie. And Sophie sleeps in my cell. She has a bed at the foot of my bed. And listening to David talk about the alarm clock going off in the room just reminded me of this, and I’m talking about this because I think its love. I have a deep sense that it is. Every morning my alarm clock goes off, and I get out of bed and I reach across to my dresser to turn off my alarm clock. And the moment the alarm clock is turned off, Sophie jumps out of her bed. She bounds out of her bed and she lets out one sharp yip, and it’s like I imagine her saying, “Isn’t this a joy just to get up?” And it’s so spontaneous, it’s so unrehearsed, it’s so dog, and to me it just expresses what I want to believe love is about. It’s just this, like, “Yippee, here I am and here’s my life and isn’t this grand!” And loving, I think, has something to do with that kind of elation at just being. Yeah, so, it’s a great a way to get up in the morning. And sometimes I think, “How can you be so enthusiastic day after day?” You know, it’s always the same.
-Br. Robert L’Esperance
As a child, I used to sneak out to be the first to see the day around 5:30 AM to see the sunrise. I still love to be ahead of the day and wake up every day happy, optimistic. Older, went through cancer treatment and there were few days throughout or now, when I do not wake up welcoming each and every day. Life is too precious not to wake up with a yippee. There are times when a fearful thought is first, I simply replace that with a gratitude. One has to honor one’s body and get enough rest to wake up to a yippee – I learned that! If there is something difficult to face during the day, ask for help.
Animals are great! Truly, the days that start off with a yippee are the better days! AND, I do better with all I meet. The days started with a growl are challenging from the beginning to the end!!! Great reminder!
I greet the day with YIPPEE!! I’m thankful that the Lord has granted me the miracle to be able to wake up!
Most days I greet with a yippee! I remember all the wonderful things I know will happen. I love the start of a new day just like sophie.
Yippee
A growl or a yippee? Well, neither. It’s more of a quiet, matter of fact statement that’s kind of like, “Hello. Here I am. Let’s see what the day brings.”
I often wake up feeling a bit of fear. After a brief prayer to remove the fear and request for help to face the day, I get going. I believe if I allowed myself more sleep, made it a priority, I would be more on the yippee side.
I greet the day with a “I’m looking forward to the day, whatever it has to offer”. Not a Yippee, but a grateful expectation. Definitely not a growl!
Usually our dog wakes me. I go to let her out. The door faces the east. I see the first pinks of the day and sing Psalm 63. The refrain says, “As morning breaks, I look to you. I look to you, O Lord, to be my strength this day. As morning breaks, as morning breaks.” Sets me up for whatever the day holds.
more of a grunt ’til I can stretch/work out the pains then it is with a happy attention to the days tasks.
I had a loving Boxer named Sophia and she greated the day playfully. Many times bringing me a squeaky toy to serinade me. She die died at 14 last May. She was a gift from God. What a blessing you have for a room mate..
Isabel Addison,
Depends on the morning but most of the time it’s “not again”. But I try to be open to any good things that may occur. simple as it may be. Today, for instance, the sun is shining.
I too am now a “Senior Citizen” and I also have my share of groans and “oohs” but I am definitely a Yippee in the morning. Maybe not quite so loud as Sophie with a loud Yip and a bound but, yes, definitely a Yippee and my morning, before getting out of bed, always starts with a short prayer of thanks for bringing us (my husband and I) safely through the night, thanks for the sleep I had and thanks for the promise of a new day, which only God knows how it will be for me but I have the anticipation of that brand new unused day for me to explore and enjoy. My husband and I often say, well we are upright and breathing which has to be a good start.
One of my mother’s friends, a dear woman in her eighties, says, “Any day on THIS side of the daisies is a good day!”
I tend to wake up with a bit of both. Definitely “yippee” when I see my cat, Coal, sitting in the bed waiting for me to wake up to give him attention. “Growl” at the moment since I am unemployed and determining how to have a purpose for the day, besides the usual house chores.
sleep has been such an issue for me that past few years that every morning is a growl. once the Tea is in me I am fine. I hope that when I get to heaven I can meet the person who started humankind drinking tea and give them a hug.
Amen!!
I definitely don’t start the day with a growl but I feel like there’s more hesitancy and less yippee since I retired and have really settled into my new home. There were lots of yippee mornings in the beginning as I arranged for my out of state move, got to my new apartment, focused on unpacking, shopping for all of the new things I needed for the apartment. Now that all of that work is done, I am still adjusting the being retired.Now each morning when I wake up I have all of this unstructured time that I want to use wisely but am not sure how to do this yet…. But having said this, I am always grateful for all of the gifts I’ve been blessed with during the day an faithfully write in my gratitude book at the end of each day.
If I have had a good night’s sleep and wake up with a long morning ahead of me, I’m elated. If sleep has been sporadic and it is late morning, I’m inclined to growl to myself for a while. That difference is worth my pondering. What does it mean to be sure of God’s love? What does it mean to reflect it for others? Sometimes the commandment to love is work for me.
I’ve always been a morning person. My mother once told me I was this way even as a baby in my crib, a phenomenon she found both good and bad since she was a night owl. She said she’d stagger in at my awakening noises, look down, and there I’d be beaming to meet the day, and even when she wanted to growl, how could you be grumpy with a child smiling sunnily at you?
Now much older, I still like the early morning, and since I have four dogs who sleep in various beds around my bed, there is no shortage of Yippee to our mornings. They will sleep peacefully until we awaken, but once they know it is time to get moving, the yippee wag fest begins. It’s a cheerful start to the day when you have loving souls dancing all around and saying, “Thank God, you are awake! Do you know how much I missed you all night?!?”
I find that when I begin the day focused on myself and/or my circumstances then I am more likely to be growly. But when I focus on others, and what I can do for others, or how I am going to be serving others during the day, I am much more likely to start the day off with a yippee. Funny how that works.
…I did my growl of vigilance ‘this’ AM…
Yippee !!!!!!
Thank you, Br. Robert for this meditation. Although the past two years have not been the cheeriest I am grateful for every day as a chance to do good for others. I awake and am usually pleasant before I have time to be present with God. These days, caring for my mother who is 82 and has COPD the plans I had for the day have a good chance of being scrapped. However I am grateful that mu mom is not suffering as much as some do. Also that this is not my toughest caregiving work.
It is wonderful to learn that the monastery has a dog. Dogs (and cats) bring so much love and joy into one’s life. My life would be so much less if I did not have my twice daily walks with my mom’s dog to anticipate.
Mostly yippie. I rarely go to bed before midnight and my radio wakes me at 7 a.m. Since I’m retired I love to lie in my cosy bed and catch up on the latest news, songs, weather report etc. That is, unless I have to be somewhere else that morning. In my evening prayer I give thanks for my many blessings. I’m afraid I don’t always give thanks for the new day.
Hilda
To be honest, this morning I woke up yawning because I hadn’t slept very soundlly. Most of the time I wake up, kneel by my bed and say my prayer. Those are my good days. I think I need a dog! (LOL)
a yippee! my miniature shnauzer nellie starts off my day perfectly as when i get up from my bed, so does she (:
Much like Sophie, Daisy (golden retriever) greets me with her tail wagging furiously and a sweet song. She brings a smile to my face and makes me feel loved and grateful for her. By setting up the day this way, she has instilled love, joy, peace… Does she do this out of love? Yes! She’s the kind of sweet soul who simply loves everyone for who they are, as they are. She finds joy in life’s simple pleasures and most of all her relationships. She greets every day with the same love & joy regardless of whether it’s the weekend and she’s headed out with us, or it’s Monday and she’s facing a long day alone while we’re at work & school.
How do I greet the day? “Good morning, Jesus. I love you” is my routine. Sometimes I mean it and other times it rings hollow. It depends on my circumstances; it’s conditional, it’s all about me, to be honest, I’m sad to say.
God is love. God, YAHWEH, “I am who I am”. How joyfully simple. Lately, I feel God calling me to be free of myself. To die a little more to myself to make more room for him. I must decrease so he can increase. If I am filled with God’s spirit, then I can’t be deflated. If I’m anchored in Christ, I can’t be tossed on the waves. I want to stop being the center of my universe and allow Jesus to fully occupy that place. And then, all of the sudden, I am free to feel love and gratitude once again for God’s unfathomable love for us; even for me! And for the unthinkable act of love of Jesus’s suffering to rescue me. How very silly and small am I and are my circumstances.
I think the dogs are on to something big. Stop thinking about myself….just love. Yippee
I really loved reading this transcript today! I always start my morning prayer with a ‘thank you for today’ regardless of how I’m feeling and a ‘what do you want me to do today God?’ which keeps things in perspective for me. Whether I fufill what God wants is another thing but it’s great to start my day by giving my purpose to him. God has changed my life and I love and thank him every day!
Depends on whether I have to work that day or not! To be honest, I’m not a fan of mornings, but there are special days when I feel very excited to be alive and productive.
This morning as I eased myself into the hot tub outdoors, I started just saying “Good Morning” over
and over as I listened to the enthusiastic birds. When
my husband asked me about the details of the day, I
said “Not yet” and I said “Good morning” to him
and the birds a few more times.
Today I awoke feeling (and looking, I fear) like a Bassett Hound. Trying not to affect my whole environment is today’s act of love.
Our cat is similar to the Sophie, though she sleeps out in the living room. When we open the door she squeaks her sweet morning meow and then lies down on her back with legs and paws in the air, waiting for a friendly scratch, and perhaps a quick game of throw and chase.
A yippee unless I have overslept. I’m also grateful when that happens because for so long I was dependent on ambien. I got myself off it following a table I found on the web and no thanks to psychiatrist or primary care doctor (although she did xerox my table).
I love the early morning and drinking coffee and hot water with lemon, honey, and tumeric. And reading twitter and facebook and watching Democracy Now at 6–before I get to work.
I think about it and usually come up positive.
As soon as I wake up, I say “I give myself to you God, yours only, yours always.” But then the dread sets in, or is it fear? Definitely not a Yippee, but also not a growl. That feeling started to go away after I quit my life-draining job last year, but it’s back now that I need to find another job. A rejection yesterday both disappointed and relieved me. Perhaps God is preventing another life-draining situation, because, after all, if I’ve given myself to God, why would I spend so many of my waking hours giving myself to something else? I’m looking for ways to give myself to God throughout the day in all that I do. Maybe that’s how I’ll get to Yippee.
I pray for you, Alison, as I do for my son-in-law: may you find work that satisfies and delights, uses your God-given talents and allows you the material support you need.
Don’t give up. I experienced something similar. I had to follow God down some crazy paths that felt like they were taking me in the wrong direction but in continuing to follow him he didn’t let me down. It isn’t easy but keep hold of the hope. I’ll pray for you.
Definitely NOT a growl, but can’t say I spring out of bed quite like Sophie with a vocalized “yippee” either. However, as soon as I’ve staggered to the bathroom and done my first ablutions, my husband ususally arrives with a mug of tea and then comes the yippee, the kiss, and the morning quiet time for reading the day’s lessons praying and seeking leading for the day. I’m blessed with a generally positive and optimistic nature, which helps – there’s a lot of genetic make up in these things, as well as life experiences, I suppose. But decision and some work does not go amiss either!
In my younger days I greeted the day with energy and enthusiasm. Now the energy is depleted, and the enthusiasm replaced with thankfulness and gratitude for a new day. Not quite Yipee, (that requires energy), but joyful anticipation for what the day may bring.
There is always promise in each day. I wake slowly and thank God for a good night. By the time I go downstairs, I’m pretty cheerful. I’ve made beds ,washed up and met the morning with expectation.
I do remember the wonderful greeting of our lab Shelby. She was always cheerful. Dogs are a real asset.
When I first began to read the entries here I was feeling rather down because so many were “yippee’s”. I then came across the entries that were not so enthusiastic and I felt better. Not a good feeling to feel different, less than others, something must be wrong with me. So, it’s good to know there are others out there like me 🙂 Quite honestly I usually do not wake up with a “yippee” feeling. I’d like to say it is because I am now in my senior years, have some aches and pains – and often don’t sleep well. But the truth is, for as long as I can remember I’ve most often waked up rather grumpy and tired….even before I became a senior! What this has taught me is that I have to work at having a positive outlook. One of the ways I do this is with a gratitude list – most of the time mental, but sometimes written. Making the effort to remember and mull over the life changing gifts that the Lord has bestowed upon me lifts my spirits and the day becomes more yippee-like 🙂 My 4 dogs are getting to the senior stage as well and I’ve noticed that although they no longer bound out of bed they always greet the day (and me) with a stretch and a waving tail. Guess that’s yippee enough for today 🙂
In the cold dark winter months, it’s very hard to get out of bed, much less with a yippee. In the warm light months, a yippee definitely starts the day. My dogs agree. Nevertheless, all mornings are started with Thank you God for this day.
There is something about watching the sun rise, the cool morning air and the stillness of the early morning that always makes me eager to get out of bed and watch it all take place
I like your approach in watching for Miracles
Once, When I was returning home via a very early air flight, from tending to closing up the family home after the death of my estranged brother, I saw a magnificent sunrise. Then, I felt the pain and worries of that sad relationship fall from my shoulders and I “saw” downy feathers float down behind me from the sky. Many months later, I heard the voice of my brother, calling me an intimate family name, and saying, “I am so sorry!” –“And all Shall be Well”. (Hildegard)
I “usually” awaken with a “Yippee!” each morning, unless the night has been spent in pain and then it’s a toned down Yippee.
I just prayed for your night to be pain free so you can enjoy a really lovely Yippee tomorrow morning. 🙂
Slow n sluggish to be honest – I like snuggling in my warm bed – don’t really like leaving it ! Lol! I’m a yippee by the time I’m at work, because Ii work with a great team & do a job I really enjoy.
When my kids were younger I would awake them singing Arise and shine and give God the glory, glory
Yippee for sure
Two of my dogs greet the day full out – pulling me out of bed. They are excited that breakfast is coming soon. The other two are more casual but once they are up they are excited to greet the day. I fall in between but once I have fed the horses and have my tea I am ready for the day full out.
Frankly, I tend to greet the day with a low, mumbled growl. Not a good way to start the day. Looking back on the Lenten meditations, I recognise that it has a lot to do with time. I wake up at the last possible minute, rush through a shower, packing lunch and getting out the door to get to work (late). Sometimes I get to my “yipee” during my commute, but sometimes it doesn’t happen until I see my friends at work, or on bad days, when I get home. I believe a paradigm shift is in order, and I need to find my morning “yippee”. On a side note, my dog also greets my morning with a low, mumbled groan. She glares at me with a look that says “This is way too dang early,” and covers her eyes to shield them from the light. Apparently my canine role model is not on board with the yippee, either.
Never a growl, sometimes a groan, but usually a yippee.
Recently, a lot more groans than yippees, and its time to think about why…Staying up late to work has simply got to stop. A yippee morning is more important than trying to do more in a day.
Amen! I am working on setting and keeping better bedtime boundaries with myself so I can be ready to awaken in the early morning and have my silent time. That gives me a yippee in peace that really helps my focus for the day. When I cannot get the sleep I need and awaken too late to get this alone time, yippee is harder to achieve and keep because I start the day feeling I’ve missed an appointment with a dear friend. Having this Lenten series as part of this time has become a favorite routine.
I am learning right now, through some spiritual work I am doing, that I greet the day with an edge of fear–or perhaps apprehension. And it takes me a long time to get going. I do my prayer and meditation in bed, and then get up, and by then I’m feeling more willing to begin, to be alive.
This is something I would love to change as I continue to learn and grow.
Thanks for sharing such an intimate experience. Good work, too!
Some days it is a real ‘Yipee!’ but all too often it’s more like ‘Here’s hoping’.
I don’t wake up quickly–unlike my husband, who could get up, shower, dress and be out of the house in under 15 minutes!
I ease into the day, with a Yippee! (after I’m awake!) 🙂
Defitely a growl. I am not a morning person. Eventually I may give off with a small “Yay!” but definitley not a “Yippie!”
I try to greet the day with: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” But sometimes I forget.
Neither my dog nor I are “yippees”! I try to just sort of melt into the day after hitting snooze a couple times, then I need to (literally) rattle her cage to convince her to get up and go for our morning walk. It is at night that I do a mental review of all the blessings the day brought.and make it a point to express my gratitude and love.
Let’s walk, Rusty!
It often depends on how much sleep I’ve had. Usually I’m happy to be up and facing the day. The challenge comes in keeping that yippeee throughout the day. But it is important to me to have some quiet time in the morning to be thankful for the day and life in general. I find that helps keep me in a positive frame of mind longer.
When asked “how are you?” a developmentally disabled worker at our hospital always replies, “I’m just so glad to be here.” His thankful and joyous response taught me to be “glad to be here.”
I always get a similar response from the man, an above the knee amputee from a motorcycle accident. He was only saved by a Miracle, and always responds, “Never better!”
A quiet awareness of the day dawning , and an “Aho” to greet the sun, listen to the birds, notice signs of spring as I take my dog out- simple and wonderful pleasures.
Well done, said. Afraid both be real, yikes and yippie.
Just the way of it. Just must lean on the Everlasting Arms.
Yippie, A******a, and HOORAH!!!!!!
When I was a small child, my wonderful Daddy woke me each day around 6:30 a.m. Saying, “wake up. The day is half over!” Then he went to work. I adored my Daddy. When I spent a week in the Abbey on Iona, I discovered the inside stairway from the living quarters to the church which the monks used, particularly for their early morning service (Matins?). I loved to use the inside stairway and think about the lives of the monks in the early days of the church there. Now, I frequently wake at 5 a.m., and after reading the lessons for the day, then I can return to sleep for a couple of hours.
I like to notice the “miracles” God gives us, as I go about my day. Yesterday, I was going to order dog clippers to replace the ones I bought in 1971 for my Black and Tan Airdale, since used on a cocker spaniel, and more recently on my mini-poodle, Khaki, who is my prayer partner. Then, the customer service lady asked me if I just needed the screw which affixes the blade to the motor unit. She checked in back and said they had the (short shank screw) which I have been trying to. Replace since Khaki’s last haircut in August! God was watching over me, and I told her she was an angel! Always, thanks be to God!
I love dogs so this was a great passage for me today. I think that God has given me the gift of enthusiasm. I think the etymology of the word is ” In or With God”. I also realize for me that enthusiasm is a great counterpoint to fear. Today I will think about your dog greeting the day.
I am thankful that I look forward to getting out of bed before I go to sleep at night . I wake up with wonder and joy at the new morning’s rays of sunlight and give thanks to God. An early morning cuppa in the quiet before anyone else is up is my ‘guilty pleasure’.
I wake up with a yippee thank The Master has given me another day even though I feel I don’t deserve it. When I get to work that’s when the growling begins lol
Always with a yippee and a “Thank you God for this day!”
When I was a teenager I greeted the morning with a growl, and my mom greeted it with signing “What glorious morning”. Let’s say a few choice words came out of my mouth. My Mom’s response was “That was Rude” and went on signing.
Now, I treat it with a peaceful contented feeling.
As I age, a few more aches and pains in the morning mean that I don’t hop out of bed as easily as I used to, but it’s still more of a yippee than a growl!
Definitely a YIPPEE! I have a miniature long-haired dachshund and she is just like Sophie–so dog! I get greeted with a kiss each morning before I’ve done anything to earn it. She exudes love and reminds me to look like that for other people.
Mostly a yippee. Having my Shih Tzu Chaplin smile & wag his tail, then roll over for me to pat his belly is pure love. We’re both aging but I know it’s ” Being Bold” that makes the difference.
S
I
G
I think that I wake each morning mostly on the ‘yippee’ side. Sometimes I’d love to sleep a while longer; some mornings I may not be excited about all of the days plans. But mostly, it’s yippee. I think a big reason for this is that I look forward to my morning prayer time, my conversation with God. This starts my day in a wonderful direction.
I wake with a slow awareness that it’s a new day and I am glad. There will be the usual mumbo-jumbo of chores, exercise, feed and walk the dog, visit Bob, email and, most likely, an outing with a friend. And at some pint, if I keep my eyes open, I’ll see beauty and love.
Once you realize what love truly is….the unending depth of God’s gift of love….getting up in the morning is always a “yippee!”
breakfast!
…Ya!