When’s the last time you were up at dawn?
Well, this morning: daily dawns came along with grief, as part of the package deal.
As soon as my husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, I lost my capacity to eat, sleep, and otherwise function . . . until the day I realized I had to amass some strength for his sake, and our children’s. But that’s another story (one I told not long ago on the Moth Mainstage in Boston).
I used to be inside at dawn and miss the whole thing. I was either sleeping or scurrying around the house, doing tasks, preparing myself and the children and dogs to set about the day–though, in the dogs’ case, they don’t really require that much preparation. Their duties are minimal, but important in their way.
Then, utterly unable to sleep while Jim was sick, I would wander outside with the beagles and see immense blankets of color above the pond where Jim would take in his last outdoor view of an orange perigee moon.
So even when I began recovering strength, I thought it worth keeping hold of the dawns.

Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for reading! It’s always a wonder to me that people want to read my rambles and/or see the pictures 🙂
Beautifully Personified!Prayers Assured.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
My Pleasure! 🙂
Beautiful post x
Many thanks.
🙂
Seriously?
On my bucket list…MOTH MainStage.
Good for you.
and beautiful post, as usual
Thanks, mished 🙂 Seriously: Moth Mainstage in Boston a few months ago. Long story….that will have its own post (“Meta Moth”) upcoming when broadcast time is closer. It’s one of many things I never could have imagined myself doing, and I sort of stumbled into it when a show came to town and the producer thought my story would fit. The other storytellers were incredible. A crazy wonderful experience.
Clara’s Chinese name is Yang, which means morning light. The orphanage staff named her that because when you see the morning light, you feel new hope, and that was their wish for her. It is my wish for you too.
I love knowing that. Thank you.
Another beautiful post — pictures too!!! Thank you so much for sharing your life and living with all of us — what a pleasure to read your writing. XOX AM