The joy of waiting

4:30 AM. I’m safely ensconced between the sheets. Safe. Warm. Secure. No worries. All is quiet, but then the battle begins. This daily battle between ‘Go’ and ‘Stay’ has, for the most part, a predetermined outcome, but I let it run its course anyway.

Go: Rise and shine. The day’s about to begin.
Stay: Leave him alone. He needs the rest.
Go: C’mon, sunrise is in about 90 minutes. Time to go!
Stay: Hey! You’ve seen one sunrise, you’ve seen them all!
Me: Richard? Is that you???
Go: No! Not true. We’ve never seen this day and it could be spectacular. Let’s go!
Me: You’re right. Let’s GO!

Score another victory for ‘Go’, the undisputed champion. My feet hit the floor, I take care of the morning’s business and within 15 minutes, I’m in the car. As I head for my destination, I let down my windows to allow the morning air to move through the car, rustling papers here and there, having its way with the interior. Other than the hum of the tires, the purr of the engine, and the roar of the wind as it glides in one window and out the next, all is quiet. The radio is silent. Having it on would, it seems, break the magic spell of the morning. A spell to which I readily succumb.

Driving down the road I am, for the most part, alone. Sure, there is the occasional early commuter, perhaps an insomniac with nothing better to do, but the streets are deserted. A condition that I find pleasurable.

I arrive. The headlights pierce the darkness. I am alone. As I extinguish the headlights, darkness rushes back to take its rightful place and envelopes me. I feel welcomed. All 5 senses are intact, but my vision is impaired. As I exit the car, my first sensation is the feel of the breeze as it moves across my scalp. There is an advantage to shaving your head bald, you get to feel the caress of the breeze, and the touch of the slightest amount of rain … a feeling like no other. I think of an old Head and Shoulders commercial: “The tingle lets you know that it’s working!”

I step into the darkness, letting it take me.

In the darkness, I trod carefully listening to the sound of my footsteps. A curious sound, constantly changing. I find a place to set up my gear and begin the pleasant act of waiting.

This is my favorite part.

I have arrived. I am settling. I am tuning into the remainder of the night, waiting for the day, watching this pleasant ballet.

Suddenly, there’s something in the air. A smell. Perhaps a hint of jasmine, or a faint whiff of desert sage. Perhaps it’s the smell of algae as the breeze skims the top of the lake bringing with it a potpourri of smells. Perhaps it’s the sweet smell of cow manure from a distant field. Certainly, it’s always different.

What I first mistook as silence, upon further review is not so silent. Off in the distance the sound of man encroaches, but only slightly. I can hear the hum of tires on a distant road, not enough to be disturbing, but pleasant background music to add to the chorus of the crickets. I hear my breathing. I’m alive and honored to partake in another day.

For now, the curtain is down on another day. Darkness rules the roost. Or does it? Off to the east a faint glow of light can be seen on the horizon. There, the sun has already convinced the night to retreat towards the west. The day is on the way. The night, though tenacious, must begin to flee. It’s time is over for now and it must yield to the light.

I’ve not yet taken a single picture.

As the curtain begins to rise, the orchestra begins to play. The sounds become more evident. The hum of the tires increase; the crickets cease their singing, to be replaced by the splashing of a fish as it takes its morning meal of errant bugs who strayed fatally close to the water. Their last mistake. The birds are awake and beginning their songs. I add my own sound effects. Increased breathing. The click of the shutter. All coming together to form the perfect symphony. I’m there! Nothing else matters at this moment. Nothing. The sun, as yet, has not crested the horizon, but there is a flurry of activity. The day has begun in earnest. There’s no turning back.

As the hours fly by, I am truly happy, but more importantly, at peace. As I pack up my gear and head back home, I hear a voice in my head:

Go: Now, aren’t you glad that you went?
Me: Yes! As usual, you were right. Thanks for reminding me to cherish each day.
Go: You are welcome! It’s time for me to sleep now. I’ll see you this evening and tomorrow morning! Until then, enjoy your day.