Sunday, September 18, 2011

I greet the day early



Washington DC is quiet on Sunday mornings. It's the only time of day, except deep night, when the streets of this city are physically quiet. There's no traffic, hardly anyone walking up or down East Capitol Street, you can't even hear birdsong. At dawn on a random Sunday morning, this crazy, fierce city of uber brainiacs is energetically quiet. People are in their beds, dreaming of world conquest or some other happiness. It's so peaceful!

I've always been a morning person, maybe because I so love this rare moment of spacious quiet before the mayhem of urban life starts up again. Ahhhh. (I tried for many years to be a night owl like the rest of my family and every cool person I've ever known. Jazz musicians, artists, raconteurs - nighttime is when they come alive. Me? I'm nodding out by 10 p.m. So. not. cool. We morning people have other virtues, not coolness, though.)

Taking a walk first thing in the morning was one of my favorite parts of living with Jake; it wasn't an option to stay in my sweats, hair rumpled, for an hour before getting out there like it is now. I always love seeing people come out to get the newspaper, like animals leaving their burrows at the end of winter. Since it's just for a second, most folks wear their robes, leave their hair rumpled. Everyone is so cute when they first wake up.

It's a moody, chilly fall morning in Washington DC. I don't know about you, but my plans (before I start working) include drinking tea and listening to the quiet. Happy Sunday. Shalom.

12 comments:

Reya Mellicker said...

With ipads, I assume people will come out less and less for their newspapers. That is rather sad.

But - save a tree.

steven said...

reya i'm always so grateful for the simple matter of aloneness. this morning it's me, a cup of strong coffee - the only way to drink it in my own experience - and an e-book written by jack london about one hundred and one years ago that i had never even known existed. such palpable little blisses. steven

Reya Mellicker said...

They are indeed.

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I'm with you Reya, give me my early mornings. I love the day just before the sun comes up and I can watch the world come alive. I feel grateful to get another one every morning. Never need an alarm clock. I have always been a morning person, guess I'm not one of the cool people either :)

Cheryl Cato said...

Happy Sunday to you too Reya. Gertie & I have been having our early morning walks down by the river where we are staying for a while. Love to see the pink sky and hear the birds come alive.
As for me... I'm an early morning person too!

ellen abbott said...

What a beautiful morning sky. I just am not a morning person even if I want to be. I rarely wake before 7:30.

Whitney Lee said...

I think it may be that we always wish for what we are not...I am struggling so to become a morning person. It's so frustrating at times to feel that my mind is full of gravel in the morning but at night is like a revving engine in the cool quiet. The days that I do manage to get up and going at an early hour I feel like I get so much more done.
The sky is lovely!

Reya Mellicker said...

I think it's constitutional, like having blue eyes or big feet - everyone is not diurnal. What fun would that be, hey?

The Bug said...

I wish I were a morning person too - simply because it would mesh with my working life so much better. I have to be up by 6:30 to get to work on time, but I DON'T like it. I lose that morning time & then I'm too tired in the evening to get anything done then too. Sigh.

Cyndy said...

I've seen quite a few sunrises during my frequent bouts of extreme night-owlism. I really think it is the most beautiful time of day and I wish I could see it more often at the beginning of the day instead of at the end.

Reya Mellicker said...

At the end of a long night of partying (way back in time) the sun rising was always unnerving - it meant I hadn't slept at all and would be off kilter for a couple of days, recovering.

But to wake up just as the sky starts to get light, well, wow. I am a big fan of dawn, I am.

Reya Mellicker said...

Steven, only very strong coffee. Only.