Reveille

When I arrived at Alcott Elementary School in the fall of 1967, I quickly learned about the Freeze Bell. When the bell sounded, everyone froze and out marched the boys playing drums and bugles...I am pretty sure that they played Reveille and then the National Anthem, and the flag was hoisted.  Woe to any student who moved a muscle during that time.

I thought about this early this morning as NPR came on the clock radio and as my Blackberry (strategically placed across the room to require me to get out from under the warm comforter and retrieve it). I had the Blackberry play "sonar" this morning. It needed to be more lively than the zen tones I had the day before (and conveniently ignored.)

I like the idea of reveille, if not the blasting trumpets in my ears. It is a call to wake up, get up, and get going. Normally I don't need motivation to get up, but I am still rehabbing my shoulder, it is cold ,and is simply too tempting these days to dive back under the covers. In the old days of the monastery and convent, some poor soul was assigned the task of reveille...if not the familiar tune, then some kind of "get up, get up" announcement throughout the community. Get up, because the day is beginning! Wake up, always a good encouragement.