Watching the Sunrise...

Recently I was cleaning out my basement and came across some old photos that I had taken in March of 1999 of the sunrise off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC. When my husband and I were in college we took a trip there for spring break. I made him promise to me that on one morning during our trip we would wake up to watch the sunrise over the ocean...and we did. We were about ten minutes from missing the sun break the horizon, so I woke up and yelled..."go...go...go...we have to go now." Finding those photos that I had taken brought me right back to that moment in time. We sat there on the beach and as the sun began to rise I remember thinking that it was probably the greatest gift that we are given...the gift of a new day.

I've seen plenty of gorgeous sunsets. But there is something different about sunrise. After finding those photos I wanted to experience it again. Even though I am no where near an ocean, I had hoped that they would be just as beautiful on land...and they are. 

When I arrived at my favorite spot the sun was still below the horizon and a light fog was laying over the land. I could still hear the nighttime sounds of crickets, the moon was still bright in the sky. The birds were just beginning their morning songs. It was the perfect intersection between night and morning...

The fragrance of the the wild flowers hung heavy in the air. I patiently waited as the pink sliver began to change and I knew that in moments the big globe of light would be ascending into the sky. A sunrise cannot be hurried. You must be patient. The clouds were rolling in and I was getting nervous that I wouldn't get to see what I had set out to see. Patience...a heron took off in flight just as the orange glow began to rise...

It was a perfect orange globe spreading it's warmth over the trees and grasses and up into the incoming clouds...

A new day, a new dawn, a new life...such a glorious gift. Yes, I recommend waking up early, while many are still fast asleep, to watch the sun rise at least once a year. It will make you grateful for each new day.