A Day in the Life

It's morning. The dock and lake are awash in breaking sunlight as it skims over the tops of the trees. They are fresh, washed clean from last night's storm. The day has dawned clear and bright. There is the distant putter of a fishing boat in the distance and the gentle lap of its wake slapping against the bottom of the boat docked here. Fish are dimpling the surface of the lake, taking their breakfast from the insects skating among the lily pads. There is a gentle breeze stirring among the pines whispering their morning greetings, softly rejoicing: "the storm has gone -- the world is new again and we stand witness to the mercy of another sunrise!" The songbirds trill in the trees, sweeping from branch to branch calling out the fresh joy of a new day. After breakfast, the children scatter to the beach, joining their merry chatter with the sounds of the morning. The world is awake again; the day has begun.

*****

It's evening. Clouds have rolled in over the lake again, but there is sunlight and patchy blue yet to be seen. Perhaps they are less ominous than the ones that brought last night's storms. The lake is calm, but after a long day on the water, I find the gentle lull and ripple of the water creeping its way into my perception. As I rock with my body's memory of the water, my mind drifts back to the sights and sounds of my adventure downstream in the kayak. A lone gull cries in the distance as he dives to his rest, and I wonder if his name might be Jonathan. My awareness wanes with the sunlight, fading into the oblivion of peaceful slumber....