The sunlight beckoned me to rise.
Its rays finding their way to the edges of the bedroom curtain.
I had a choice:
Do I ignore the desire to rise and greet the day?
Do I put on my eye mask and blackout its glorious shining light?
The days grow longer and slightly warmer.
These early hours can be squandered or conquered.
It could be my own secret,
quiet time before everyone else is up.
The stomach grumbles ready for breakfast.
The pull is too strong to ignore.
I sit up and stretch like I haven’t in a year.
I feel good, like my old (younger?) self.
That’s it. It’s decided.
I am the master of this sunny day.
So I write.
Tag: sunrise
Even After
Even after the unimaginable
happened, the sunrise arrived
in all its colorful
glory. The flock of birds perched on
the distant tall trees. Their dark bodies
silhouette in the incoming light.
I watch their feathered flight
from treetop to treetop.
Can they see the wider view?
This tragedy happened and
the world moves on. My heart stopped
a beat and I wept. I stifled a scream
in my throat that rattled inside my head.
Why such injustice?
Why take such an innocent?
The touch of a child’s lock of hair,
a small hand inside of mine.
The beauty and the potential
Snuffed out in one senseless act.
I breathe and watch the light blue
and pale pink sky rise over me.
The hope and promise
that a new day brings.
I hear my child sing as she plays
unaware of the recent events.
I try to keep her innocent and safe.
Let the play come, feel the joy
wrapped in creative safety.
I hold her close,
even if she doesn’t understand why.
In memory of Liam James Dempsey
May 15, 2019 - March 21, 2024
In the Whole Scheme of the Cosmos
As we head toward the Equinox, The sun greets me a little later each passing day. I imagine the sun trying to peek over the horizon. The earth spins and rotates And has its own cycles and rhythms. We try to make sense of it all And plan our lives around the earth. It takes a whole year for the earth to cycle the sun. So, on this day, the earth was exactly on this particular orbit. That’s how the planets and stars align At those rare times that astronomers keep track of. There’s always something going on in the sky, Even the minute. It’s all fascinating And often goes unnoticed. When we’re so self-absorbed in our own lives, Surviving, working, Our issues and problems feel so monumental. But when you look up at the sky, Those issues and problems somehow feel smaller In the whole scheme of the cosmos.
Outside the Door
The soft earth awakens. Fresh dewdrops cling To the blades of grass, To my picnic table, To the windows of my car. Outside the Door The sun has begun Its ascent above the skyline. And its rays begin To splay upon the horizon. In the beginning, Where did man lie down his head each night? Did the morning dew greet him Each sunrise as he awoke? Did he sleep under the stars, In the open air, Or did he seek shelter most nights? The earth is soft and lush. Outside the Door The heat of the summer Has already begun to take ahold. The breeze is my reprieve. The birds are my companion. As we share a moment In the early dawn Before the sunrays get too bright And I, too, must take shelter From the blazing sun.
In darkness
Each morning I awake in darkness. My mind tricks me that it’s still night. But the alarm can’t be wrong, Can it? So I grumble a little Then I sit up and swing my legs to the side of the bed. I take sweet side stretches Awakening my muscles and side body. Only then will I stand up And greet the day. I begin my morning yoga in pure darkness. The only light emanates from my iPad as I start a yoga video. My personal asana practice is quiet. Everyone else is slumbering. They, too, feel that it is still night. Too dark to awaken. So I enjoy the solitude and present moment to connect breath and movement. My yoga practice ends with a brief meditation. Then I click on a lamp so I can write in my mindset journal. Sometimes I write about last night’s dream Like a real, tangible memory deep in my mind. Oftentimes, I like to write my lunar affirmation and intention three times in a row in my notebook. That is my ideal morning trifecta while the sun is still in slumber. My favorite time of the year is when the sun rises while I’m in the shower. I see its rays peek behind the curtains and begin their path up along my bathroom wall. If I time it just right, the whole shower gets illuminated in fresh morning light. For now I will have to wait for the synchronicity of getting to bathe in sunlight. It is all right. I can wait. My morning routine is a constant even when the sunrise is not.
Healing Insights 