Mornings

I am a morning person. And not just a morning person, I am an early morning person. This annoys some people. I’m sorry. I do try to be conscientious and not make noise while others might still be snoozing. I have a policy never to crank up any power tools or stereos before a reasonable hour. But it is in the early hours, when my energy level is high, I am clear headed enough to make my lists and then dive in. Though I am not a AAA personality type I still seem to have a certain ability to get things done, but ninety percent of this is accomplished before 3:00 p.m., at which time I begin to fade. I believe it is because I am propelled by the promises and potential of a new day. So, while others are still snoring, I am getting on with it. For those of you who will never see a sunrise, let me share a few things morning people, like I, might experience.

For one thing, if you are an early riser, quiet coffee on the porch while the deep mist of night is gently dissolving against pink- gold skies as the loons warn each other, puts the day ahead into a certain clear perspective. There’s a peace and tranquility that no other part of the day can muster. These tender moments, fleeting but full of hope and encouragement, will always find me waiting respectfully. I have long talks with God here. I do the talking, I might add - He is a good listener even as He orchestrates the sunrise. Some early risers use this time to jog or do other forms of exercise. I appreciate that, but sometimes, I think exercising the spirit is as important and leads to better health. Plus you don’t have to get all sweaty.

Fortunately, Ron is a morning person, also. Our radio alarm goes off at 5:00 a.m., which leads me to tell you about another thing late sleepers miss - O’Neil Williams’ Great Outdoors Show on WSB 750 Radio. He is on from 4:00 - 6:00 a.m. Saturdays. Let me insert here that I love the outdoors but I have never been much on fishing and certainly not hunting. However, O’Neil is and he loves what he does so much... "Welcome to another great unused Saturday morning!!" He announces with genuine gusto. His wife "Woman Williams" is there with him, adding a touch of the feminine side to the subject matter. They take calls from other early morning people, talking with passion about spinner bait and frog colored chug bugs and reports on the best times, places and depths to try for the big one - that ten million dollar large mouth bass. Mostly, I don’t have a clue what he is talking about but I completely share his joy. And though we are only half awake, Ron and I often laugh out loud at O’Neil’s sometimes raucous good humor. When was the last time you started your day, laughing with your spouse? I tell you, nothing is more marriage fortifying than a mutual chuckle snuggled next to your sweetheart in the shadows of predawn. O’Neil will never know us, but we consider him a good friend - one of our early morning friends. Why, we’d even let him fish off our dock. He’d probably be interested to know that a trio of huge stripers often hang out there. I know this because I’ve seen them down there in the early morning, cruising silently like submarines in the shallows where the water is as smooth and glossy as patent leather.

Last but not least, I want to tell you what it feels like to make the turn east on the new Holiday Road from McEver at 7:15 a.m. and be confronted with, in its complete and awesome glory, a perfect, neon orange mid-November sun piercing through a thick, ambling ribbon of fog. And though the road disappeared into this spectacular scene, I drove forward, blinded, but with unwavering faith that the road was still there; all of my senses heightened from the unexpected, exquisite grandeur. As I turned south on Atlanta Highway, I was already committing this incredible ten seconds to long term memory. I’ll take it with me into senility.

Joy comes in the strangest packages. We can miss it sometimes by being too busy to look.

Or sleeping in.