Dawn

There are countless surveys, games and quizzes on Facebook now. I always get a laugh out of some of the "What kind of ______ are you?" Sadly I no longer participate after paying someone $107 to remove several nasty viruses that he attributes directly to Facebook games. Regardless, I still have fun reading them.

Its early on a Sunday morning and I realize that, if someone were to ask me what time of day I would like to be on Facebook, I would say that, without a doubt, I aspire to be dawn. It encompasses so many of the qualities which I am working to develop within myself. Yes, it would definitely be dawn.

There is a stillness early in the morning that many never see. This one in particular is on the cusp between summer and autumn and there is a crisp coolness to the air. The flora is still bathed in moisture from the dense air of the night before resting gently on every available surface, preparing to rise again in the morning as the sun says its time to do so. Occasionally there is a fleeting sound of a bird calling, a twig breaking or an automobile off in the distance swooshing its way to some unknown destination. Each sound is isolated, though, and echos as it moves quickly in and out of my range of hearing.

This stillness evokes an emotion that is difficult to describe without engaging in what may sound like cliche rhetoric. It is peace; quiet; a time for restful contemplation; an inner joy that we so often suppress as our thoughts spin into a thousand different directions. Eventually, we forget what that inner joy feels like due to our preoccupations.

I want to take this prized moment and keep it close to me. I want that stillness to exist within my soul, and as invading thoughts fleet into my psyche I want to acknowledge them but then let them fade into the faroff distance so they do not invade my stillness. This is the experience of living in the moment and every once in a while, especially on a cool, crisp late summer/early autumn morning, I get a glimpse of what I want to be. Yes, if I were taking a Facebook quiz right now, I would be dawn. I would definitely be dawn.