All creatures, great and small, enjoy the democracy of dawn. Like the biblical rains, the sun shines on the just and the unjust. Each day arrives as a gift to be enjoyed. Each day begins as a clean slate ready for each artist to create a little piece of their own destiny. Each day is a portion of a patchwork quilt that will make up all the days of our lives. And no matter our condition or station in life, the day ahead is ours for the taking. Carpe diem, and all that jazz.
The poet’s prayer speaks something for us all: “Brave Helios, wake up thy steeds; bring the warmth the countryside needs.” The pre-dawn darkness gives way to the steel grey which yields to that faint orange glow of morning’s quiet entry. Once again, the spotlight begins to shine upon this stage of a world, and the actors move from comforts of slumber into their positions for the dramatic episodes that will include comedy and tragedy all their live-long days.
The early morning brings out the best in most people. Others live by the code emblazoned on a t-shirt: “I don’t do mornings!” But for those who do mornings, there’s a peculiar glory about the earth and a new lease on life itself. We wake up and smell the coffee and kiss spouse and kids. We look in the mirror and hardly notice that we’re another day older. We’re alive, and the morning glory is beginning to bloom in us.
While some might find it difficult to sing “Oh what a beautiful morning…”, many believe that each day can be a roll of the dice. Others feel that this is a brand-new chance to join whatever forces are at work in this world to create Eden all over again in order to recall the original blessing. By the end of day, we once again look forward to the awaiting slumber that is our preparation for the dawning of the next chapter in the days of our lives.
In Judaism, the day begins at dusk and nightfall. Our days begin with rest for the coming morning. It’s a great idea. When I hit the sack, I am “dead to the world”. My slumber renews my soul and refreshes my body. Like resetting the memory in my computer. But when morning gilds my skies, I am recreated and ready for a brand new day as fresh as the morning dew. It’s almost a resurrection of the body. Almost Easter every morning for the rest of our livelong days.