At 6:45 a.m., the world is impossibly quiet. Even the birds whisper in half chirps and trilling wings, unwilling to break the feather-light spell which separates the mad rush from this magic. The sun is dressed to play the enchantress this morning, her translucent robes draped over rooftops and church towers, her shining elixirs tipped into valleys and over windowsills, and I can’t see the sky for all her radiance. The silence and light ground my soul to its ethereal roots.
By 7:45, the city will have yawned, turned over once or twice, and finally tossed off the translucence like a rumpled sheet. The air will hum and growl, sizzle with electric charge, whoosh out of the way as trains and traffic and alarm-harried people claim the morning for industry. The sun will be tucked up tightly and lost in the larger sphere of blue. Bells will more clang than chime, drowning out birdsong for a resounding second, and car horns will follow suit. I’ll begin checking lists, herding clothes into the washer, fielding the infinite curiosity of preschoolers, and working with one eye on the calendar and one eye on the clock. Stopping to hear the silence or squint into sunlight would seem foolish at best.
But here, in the radiant hush of 6:45, it is still possible to believe in mercies renewed every morning, and so this is where I start.
Beautiful post, Bethany. I am totally there with you, even though I was one of the hurried ones today. This is a great reminder to get up a little early just to greet the day, and become grounded. A reminder that I NEEDED today. Thank you.
“The silence and light ground my soul to its ethereal roots.”
ohh, love.
so beautiful.
in light of the glory, and busyness written before it, i adore that last part. <3
If I remember correctly, you and mornings don’t get along too well. Good for you being up to enjoy it. And thanks for sharing with those of us who are already chained to a desk by the time the day gets so beautiful.
Megsie – Don’t you usually get up BEFORE dawn to work out? I’m the one looking up to you here. 🙂
Beka – Thanks so much, love.
Tom – No, mornings and I have never had a good history, and our relationship is still a work in progress. Do you at least get some of the afternoon sunlight to enjoy? (Er, maybe I should qualify… Is there usually afternoon sunlight to enjoy? 🙂 )
I’m been thinking about going outside with my coffee when I wake. but not off the couch yet. when it happens, I’ll let you know and I’ll drink a toast to you and thank you for the prompting.