Early Morning Contemplation

I love the early morning. The house is quiet. A cool breeze gently brushes past me from an open window. I hear the birds in the back yard chirping. It is a time of hopefulness and new beginnings. Sweetie, our cat, is snuggled up in bed with my husband, Arno. So the house is mine entirely. There are no chores calling to me. It is my favorite time of the day.

I try to push away thoughts of tomorrow...the anniversary of 9-11. The images of planes crashing into the Twin Towers and the resulting burst of explosions and flame still shake me. It is hard to believe it has been three years and yet it seems so long ago at the same time. I am also troubled that the Republican Party has chosen that particular horrific memory to be their backdrop for the re-election of President Bush. To me that should be a moment to be kept separate from politics. I will forever remember standing in the kitchen at about 6:20 in the morning, watching a few minutes of news on the television before heading off to work, and seeing the Twin Towers billowing black smoke and then a second plane crashing into the buildings. It was a moment totally incomprehensible. The hours and days following the attack were filled with shock and an intense sadness. I could not stop crying. It still brings tears to my eyes. And I realized immediately, once I knew what had happened, that the lives of Americans were forever changed.

I do find immense comfort in my early morning quiet. It is reassuring to hear the birds and the muted sound of traffic from the freeway which no longer calls me to a day of teaching. I delight in the time I now have for myself. It is a time of contemplation too. I think of my daughter, far away in Texas. I whisper a prayer for my son-in-law, who works tirelessly to provide a good life for my daughter and himself. I send love to my only grandchild, far from me in Tennessee. I give thanks to Jehovah, the Creator, for giving me life and ask Him to forgive my short comings and give me ways to praise Him through the things I do and say. I also pray for the future of all the young people who struggle day to day in this difficult world we live in.

All in all, I have a good life, for which I am thankful. I have a good husband who loves me and keeps me safe. I have a wonderful family and good friends. Life is good. There is nothing I want or need to make me feel more complete. For that I count myself most fortunate.