At six in the morning, I've already wiped the windowsill until it shines like a mirror, and trimmed new branches from the roses in the garden. Some people ask why I'm so devoted to these little tasks—but it's precisely these small acts of order that hold up all the stability in life. Today I must remember to leave a breakfast for that stray cat who always dozes in the corner—that's probably the only time in my day when I don't follow the plan.