Sweet is the Breath of Morn

Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds.--John Milton (Paradise Lost)

Most of you know that by nature I am a creature of the night.  I love the darkness, communing with nature when the rest of the world is fast asleep.  When I was young and single, it was easy to live that way, but as one grows older, has children, and new responsibilities, one must learn to change accordingly and embrace what we have.  And actually, it hasn't been that difficult for me.  One thing I have found as I grew older was that I need less sleep, so I can still enjoy the darkness as well as the beauty of the dawn. 

(Photo of early dawn in Brooklyn, New York.  Lovely, isn't it? It's wonderful to have a camera to catch these delights when they occur.)

According to an aboriginal sun myth, Wuriupranili is a solar goddess who awakens daily in Her camp in the East, lights a torch made out of bark... which becomes the first light of dawn...and and carries it across the sky from East to West.  Before setting out, She decorates Herself with red ochre, and the clouds of the sunrise are a reflection of the red ochre that She spills in the sky.  Upon reaching the west, She reapplies her paint, again spilling reds and yellows in the sky, before returning home underneath the earth, where Her torch warms the earth from below.  Well, yesterday, She really outdid Herself.

Watching the sunrise is one of the joys of nature that even we city folk can enjoy on a regular basis, and yesterday was such a splendid day.  Of course, to begin with, it was Valentine's Day, and I have to admit, I did overdo a wee bit with the candy; went to bed last night with a tummy ache.  But all in all, who could of asked for more!   Mother Nature couldn't have blessed us with a more enjoyable and refreshing day.  Spring was definitely in the air... blue sky, sun shining brightly, comfortable temperatures....a day when the boots and all the heavy gear could be left at home.   So, when I put on the morning news and saw it was actually 40 degrees when I climbed out of my bed, I slipped on my robe, grabbed my coffee and camera and headed out to my back porch...something I haven't been able to do in a long time...and thank goodness I did, because I was blessed with such a beautiful sunrise.

The soft sunrise as it breaks across the sky is such a delight to behold.  Each sunrise indicates a new beginning, a fresh start. It brings brightness to our lives as it inspires us to move from the darkness and begin a new day. It renews our opportunities of energy and hope. In the silence of the early morn, one finds themselves close to nature in the face of such serenity and tranquility.  And, when I enjoy those little pleasures in life, it fills my heart and spirit with peace.

Now even if you do not take it as an inspiration, view the sight of the sunrise to enjoy its beauty. It is an awe-inspiring and spectacular sight.  With Spring on the horizon, take some time to get outdoors and witness the sunrise.  Connect with its beauty and become one with it.  Think of the things that you can do today to make a real, valuable, and lasting difference in your life....and then do those things. Cherish this, and each morning that follows as a gift for yourself and those you love as the start of a new day, and a new you.

O holy virgin! clad in purest white, 

Unlock heaven's golden gates, and issue forth; 

Awake the dawn that sleeps in heaven; 

let light Rise from the chambers of the east, and bring 

The honey'd dew that cometh on waking day. 

O radiant morning, salute the sun 

Roused like a huntsman to the chase, a

nd with Thy buskin'd feet appear upon our hills. 

O radiant morning, appear on our hills.

 --William Blake--