to rouse from sleep

It takes the strength of a bear to stir from winter's hibernation. These days, I find that I must use every ounce of energy I can muster to rise from a night of warm, comforted sleep into the black dawn of mid-winter...

When the alarm kicks on at 6:00, my arm mechanically swings to swat the snooze function of the alarm clock -- buying me an extra nine minutes of sweet slumber. More often than not, nine minutes turns into eighteen minutes... which turns into twenty-seven minutes... But eventually, I am roused enough to throw off the covers, swing my bare feet over the edge of the bed, and step out into the realities of a new day.

It's usually the last thing that I want to do at that (recurring) moment of life -- but if I were never to awaken, I would never discover the adventures that each day has to bring.