Sunday, January 25, 2009

SUNDAY MORNING

It is cold this morning, 11 degrees according to the thermometer hanging outside the great room window. Dawn is just finding its way through the darkness, a faint band of salmon-and-gold light inching above the little hillock to the east. I let the dog out and feed the birds. Then, with chilled hands and feet, shivering, hasten back inside where I can sip hot tea and warm my hands on the mug. The band of colored light has broadened, intensified. It catches momentarily in the bare tangles of the leafless trees at the yard’s edge, then moves onward and upward, pushed aloft by the sun. A few minutes later the dog returns of her own accord. I let her in, hand her the expected treat, go back to my windowside and tea. There are birds at the feeder now—sparrows and titmice, woodpeckers, doves, chickadees. When my daughter was young, she used to sing a song whose chorus was, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad…” I thought of that this morning, sitting there amid the clean streaming light of a brand-new dawn. How often we search for something…anything… to give our lives meaning. We look for pleasure, reward, recognition. And still we’re dissatisfied, restless, with no notion of thankfulness. Our lives are never going to become perfect. There will always be something going on, something which needs fixing, improving, redressing. No matter how hard we try, we’ll never mange to make everything all right. But…so what? So long as we can sit at our table in quiet awe and watch a morning’s sunlight reclaim the darkness, isn’t that gift and blessing and reason enough to rejoice and be glad? Downstream, a great blue heron stands in the riffle, hunched and fluffed against the cold. An equally riser and a serious, patient fisherman. One angler to another, I wish him well.

19 comments:

The Weaver of Grass said...

Beautiful, beautiful writing. Interesting how you enjoy sitting with a mug of tea watching the dawn break. I do that too - early in the morning is the very best time to just sit in silence. Do you know the Scots poet George MacKay Brown? He was a real eccentric and used to spend a lot of his day doing what he called "interviewing silence." Agree also that our lives will never be perfect - I don't think we were put on this earth for perfection - but we can make the very best of what we have and appreciate it. Thanks for a lovely thoughtful post.

Grizz………… said...

Weaver…

Thank you …again!…for your appreciative words.

In my youth, I would have never believed it could one day be said of me that I was a "morning person," yet I am now a member of such unexpected ranks. And have been for a long time. I do love the quite dawn.

I don't know the poet George MacKay Brown, nor Edwin Morgan, another poet you mentioned in one of your recent blogs—but I'm going to try and find works by both.

bobbie said...

Beautiful words. Yes, this is the day the Lord has made, and each new dawn thrills us once again.

David, over at Five String Guitar posted about the old story of 83 things that are wrong. As we solve each one of the 83, another comes along to take its place. The 84th thing is that we worry too much about the 83.

giggles said...

oh....beautiful post.... hallelujah and amen.

Grizz………… said...

Bobbie…

Indeed, we worry too much and labor under the fantasy that if we just work harder, do more, we'll solve our problems and find TRUE HAPPINESS. This notion turns us more into machines than men (and women) and precludes all the gifts, the goodness, the joy and love that life can bring.

Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the posting.

Grizz………… said...

Giggles…

With your choice of blog names, I hope you do giggle and laugh and smile daily. I think you understand what I'm writing about.

Ngaio said...

What a beautiful post to read this Monday morning here in the Pacific ocean. You certainly weave a wonderful picture with your words.

I agree, our lives are not perfect - what is ? I do know that we can change and make it what we want - especially learn from the mistakes ! I am content and happy where I am at this time, not rich but rich in so many things, family love being the most important, surrounded by our amazing NZ nature. Do you know much about this corner of the world ?

Grizz………… said...

Ngaio…

What an amazing thing…you write me from another season, another day, another time—and from about the farthest corner of the world possible!

I just can't get over that—but I'm genuinely glad you find something here worth reading. And to answer your question, no, I don't know much about New Zealand. I know it one of the loveliest places on earth—a land of mountains and space and greenery, a varied landscape you could spend a lifetime learning and which would fill your heart. I know you have trout. And that, except for the odd tidbits, is about the sum of my NZ knowledge.

In all my wanderings, I've never made it there—a fact I'll regret until I can make it right. It's a place I'd truly love to visit.

Hildred said...

You make the morning live, and I am so appreciative of your wonderfully descriptive post.

Grizz………… said...

Hildred…

Thank you for your kind comments. I'm glad you enjoyed the piece.

A said...

It is indeed reason enough to rejoice and be glad. I rejoice with you in such simple and profound gifts.

Val said...

"So long as we can sit at our table in quiet awe and watch a morning’s sunlight reclaim the darkness, isn’t that gift and blessing and reason enough to rejoice and be glad?"

Yes, yes, yes it is. And sometimes we just need a little reminder (ahem, from The-Grizzled, perhaps...) to put it in perspective for us...

: )

Thank you~

Grizz………… said...

Forest…

Sometimes, my friend, what we're looking for is right there in front of us—simple, honest…life.

I have to keep reminding myself not to make it complicated.

A said...

Then that makes at least two of us. :)

Grizz………… said...

Val…

Perspective is just our personal take on reality. Which is why I like to take my cue from early mornings, before I think too much and get confused.

(See how confused I sound late in the evening?)

Ngaio said...

Thanks for replying to my post, pop into my blogs if you get a chance, I intend to post more about this beautiful country of mine - the first land in the world to see the morning sun rise each day, small but intensly scenic, from the Southern Alps in the South Island to the golden beaches and Kauri forests of the North, with lakes, farmland, vineyards,cites and towns in the middle - next stop ..Antarctica !

Grizz………… said...

Ngaio…

I will indeed visit your blogs. And I'm looking forward to an insider's view of your lovely country.

Anonymous said...

Well, let's just say on a good day, I do my best....to both giggle and understand....

How cool is this blogging thing...to get a glimpse of the other side of the world...different beauty, different cultures, new wisdoms??!! I went to New Zealand for a short time...and I'm sure I'll go back!!

Grizz………… said...

Giggles…

May your glass always be half full…at least!

And yup, this around-the-world blogging business is neat, cool, and just downright amazing.