break of day
This morning I got up at 3:30 a.m. to drive my son to the airport. I’m not sure I’ve ever been up quite that early, although I have stayed up that late. But it has been a long time before I was up before sunrise.
After I dropped him off, I parked and watched the sky turn from black to denim, with Jupiter and a pregnant crescent moon to keep me company. I watched as the light crept slowly up the sky, stripes of clouds showing themselves gradually in silhouette against hues of pink and purple.
This world before dawn is a quiet world, the darkest of dark and filled with empty spaces. I was not lonely in this dark, nor afraid. I was caught in the silence, with only the moon whispering questions of eternity to its backdrop of stars and black sky.
I was content to sit there as witness to this changing of the guard, the cycling through of another night, the beginning of another day, each as precious and unique as this one, and think about all the dawns that I have slept through.
I wondered at all the beauty and the whispers I have missed.
And even so, I smiled.
Comments
i’ve been up that early, but only to go to the airport for my own flight. now i might have to plan an early morning excursion just to see the sky like you did….without any airport thoughts on my mind….
Posted by: beth | March 27th, 2011 14:11
oh kelly .. you were so rewarded for being a sweet mom … glad you enjoyed this magical time of day…
Posted by: red or gray | March 27th, 2011 16:10
I suffer with insommnia and often find myself awake at that time in the morning. There’s such a beautiful stillness to that time of day.
Posted by: Kathryn | March 27th, 2011 16:17
I might have to try that, but getting up that early might wipe me out for the rest of the day 🙂
Posted by: Nana | March 27th, 2011 17:09
It’s exactly why I get up before the sun – to witness the scene you so beautifully described. No end to what we’ll do for our babies..is there?
Posted by: Marcie | March 27th, 2011 17:37
It’s a peaceful kind of quiet in the early morning hours. Wish I could get myself out of bed more often to enjoy it.
Posted by: Catherine Denton | March 27th, 2011 18:32
It is a most beautiful time of day!!
Your photograph is such a wonderful reminder of that.
Posted by: lisa | March 27th, 2011 19:07
I love dawn, and I love how you turned this experience into beauty and then shared it .
thank you
Posted by: deb | March 27th, 2011 21:36
Such beautiful and eloquent words.
Posted by: .kat. | March 28th, 2011 08:43
Lovely words and thoughts. Brightened my day!
Posted by: Karen | March 28th, 2011 14:40
Oh. How beautifully written. I’ve been up that early plenty of times, to go on a journey of one kind or another – and I love how you described the feeling and the changing colors of the sky.
(came here via Elk)
Posted by: K.Young | March 28th, 2011 20:59
Kelly, a beautiful, poetic description of a time of day that I usually miss. A sweet reward for your early trip.
Posted by: Anna | March 28th, 2011 21:22