Something about the last vestiges of night--the haunting quiet--that won't let me sleep. I've always been an early riser and I think it's because I love the concept of a clean slate. It's so intoxicating to wake up, even for one second, without yesterday's baggage cluttering my mind. Now imagine carrying that into the day. A Herculean but honorable task. Easier said than done. The Zen Buddhists call it "shoshin" which translates to "beginner's mind" and consists of an attitude of openness and...