Hoots, Howls, and Hollers 01/19/2009

I think that I am a crepuscular person—at my best at dusk and dawn.  Particularly, I love the dawn.  Eos is my muse. 

In taking advantage of each dawn my dogs are my best allies as they encourage me with not so gentle nudges to arise way before daybreak so that each morning adventure is timed to walk into the dawn.  And, the cool thing is that no two dawns are alike—so I never find it tedious.  Today’s dawn seemed sublimely magical.  For me each dawn portends a new promise, a new hope, a new start.  But, today’s message was particularly crisp. 

There was a gentleness of light that replaced the darkness without a shred of struggle—just a smooth glide as light filled in the space between the darks.  Finally illumination revealed a freshness of the same (sort of) surroundings seen the day before.

This dawn we happened along the path of a great horned owl who didn’t prefer our company.  With its silent flight, it lifted off the post it spied on us from to land atop a nearby tree.  Melodious hoots followed either belying its location, belittling us for getting into its space, or beckoning to a mate.  Whatever its intent, its presence heralded the suspicion of a new clutch of babies—the refreshing of the species.

To me dawns are beautiful, symbolic of the birth of a whole new space everyday.  It reminds me of the Heraclitus quote that “You can’t step into the same river twice…”

I look at the dawn as the possibility of a new beginning, a new canvas—everyday—a virgin chance to make up for shortcomings, previous mistakes, past “I wish I had, could, did, etcs.” 

Today is the chance to get it all perfect….but—not to worry if you don’t succeed this day, tomorrow has another dawn.