I checked e-mail. Put the tea on. And at 5:55, happened to turn around (my workspace faces northwest) and in the northeast the sky was stunning. Ribbons of clouds, all lit on their undersides by deep rose, and the mountains dark below them.
When I first came here, I saw beautiful sunrises every morning as I went in to teach at the community college -- the sun was rising just as I walked across campus to my first class. This time of year, I seem to miss them most days. Either I'm working and I don't notice the sky getting lighter, or I'm tired and I sleep through it. I'd missed them, and I hadn't even realized it.
This morning -- well, it was a moment of grace. I had said on Friday that all I wanted was to have three days in which nothing went wrong. Friday, Saturday, Sunday -- nothing went wrong. I caught up on a lot of my work. I was able to breathe a little. I spent an hour talking to my little sister yesterday, and another hour talking to Alex in New York. He may actually fly out for my birthday (or afterwards), which would be lovely. I read a Ru Emerson fantasy novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I fell asleep easily, and slept well. And then I saw the sunrise this morning, and it was one of those moments that you knew you were just supposed to appreciate.
So I took a photo, and I'm writing about it now, 'cause I'm not so good at just appreciating. I love the idea of those Zen notebooks that you write in with just water, watching your words and images appear and disappear -- but have I ever bought one? Hah.
I'm maybe not so good at letting go of things -- but I do really appreciate them while I have them.