There are wonderful things about the world that are beautiful and bring us joy.  One of the most beautiful things on Earth is the sunrise.  You have to be up early to see it.  If you are an early riser, one of the perks is being awake to see the sunrise.   As the sun comes up over the horizon, the first light is a shade of the night sky and then fades into gray and then the true light becomes brighter and begins to take over the sky. The tableau fills with colors. Gold, yellow, shades of blue and white. It’s a magnificent site, one of the most beautiful things on Earth.

The best way to catch the sunrise is to be outdoors with an uncluttered view. This past year,  this has not always been an easy thing to do.  All Californians received daily instructions (if they tuned into any kind of media) to stay inside. So what is a sunrise if it’s seen from inside? Well, I look for the light through the windows  and when I venture into the front or backyard.  I’m surrounded by buildings because I live in the city center.   If I walk into the street, I can look down the street and see across the valley to the North and Mount Baldy. The street is wide and mostly empty at sunrise.  If I look to the southwest, I see a small mountain range that creates a division between the inland valleys and the plains leading to the Pacific Ocean.   Looking north or south we are parallel to the sunrise and sunset. In California, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west over the glorious Pacific.  The sunset over the Pacific Ocean is a kaleidoscope of colors.  Palettes of  violet, red, yellow and blue.  The sunrise is somewhat gentler and sometimes just misty gray. The light gradually infuses; mostly when the winter days are short and often darker.  But eventually there is always sun.  So I look out the windows, past the curtains and take in the beautiful colors and the start of a new day.  A day that is promising and filled with new opportunities for anything. Because everything always changes.

The world has changed over the past year.  Change has broken familiar patterns and habits, making way for the new.  Much like the sunrise breaks through the darkness of night and creates a new sky everyday. When I look at the sunrise through the curtains or stepping outside into the yard or street, I see the brilliance and beauty of the earth and of human existence.  The promise of a new day.