I rise early, and I would say it’s because I love seeing the sun rise, but at this time of year that is mostly hidden from my view by big trees full of leaves. So it would be more accurate to say that I love that very early light coming through the trees and lighting up the leaves, making of them a bright green translucent filter. And behind them, the amazing blue sky. This, to me, is magical. I could look and look and look from my bedroom window for a very long time while easing into the day.
This is a thing that makes me reluctant to get up out of bed, on those kinds of days. No, that is not quite right. It makes me both reluctant and eager to get up out of bed. For out of bed, there are walks that allow me to see that beautiful slanting light pouring through all kinds of other leaves, trees, spaces and places, creating long shadows and offering up more and other magical sights.
It truly is, though, a thing that makes me reluctant to do anything other than sit and look or walk and look and take photos. And when the morning is cool and lovely, I much prefer an easy walk with one or more dogs, with or without another person, over anything else. You won’t find me terribly eager to go and play pickleball during that magic time, even though I love to play. The early light is so short-lived! And so are we. And the older I get, the more important it feels to me to take my time, not rush, soak all of that up, and live a balanced, contented life.
My eyes need to feast on the light. My brain needs the energy of it to do all of the tiny and grand things our brains constantly have to do. My heart needs it for joy and love. For I fall in love with many, many little things on these nice slow mornings and that makes me happy.
“But I also say this: that light is an invitation to happiness, and that happiness, when it’s done right, is a kind of holiness, palpable and redemptive. â€
– Mary Oliver
If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. And if you enjoy these letters, feel free to forward this one to anyone you think might like it. Finally, you’ll find past letters and poems here.
Thanks for listening,
Kay
P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”
