As A New Day Breaks
June 7, 2025 posted by John Richards
Bikes arranged haphazard near the old oak tree, a couple with the kickstands out, a few others laying on their sides. 6 young boys and a few girls from the neihborhood sit gathered on the edge of the old creek bed cheering on and supporting their chosen favorite. The rope hangs taut from the limb over the creek, the two loops in its end each wrapped around the wrist of a young boy as they swing over the water - each trying his best to twist, buck, and force his opponent to release his hold on the loop. Suddenly one slips and a jerk from the other finishes the loosening of the tenuous grip, and he plunges into the shallow water. The newcomer has surprised all and sent the reigning "King of the Rope" into the creek. The vision fades as motion in the bed wakes me. Tippy resituates himself as the wife rises, heading to the bathroom. As she returns, I rise and head to prepare the morning wine.
Caffiene courses through the veins, stimulating the glands to produce the needed stimulants for waking. The fog in the head begins to clear as I tune to watch the NCIS binge channel. Shaking my head at the need to feed the demon, I light a smoke and head outside for a look at the early morning.
The moon in 1st quarter hangs low in the west as clouds float lazily by. A few early risers drive along the road, perhaps one or two finishing a late night. The street lamp with the faulty photo cell flickers out, not caring that the sun is not yet up. The barking of a tree frog sounds out above the song of the Chorus, Leopard, and Crawfish Frogs. The deep Bass of a Bullfrog can be heard from the headway of the Brickyard Bayou, and one of the semi-feral cats chases a cicada across the parking lot. Lightning Beetles fly and flash through the piney wood across the street. A waking Woodpecker laughs at the coming dawn in the distance.
Inside a few cinnamon buns and a fresh cup of joe suffice to serve as breakfast, and Gibbs continues to explain some of the stories about Mike Franks. Perusing the email folders, I relegate most to the trash bin, marking one for later review and sending another to the receipt folder for tomorrows balancing of accounts.
Back on the stoop, the racoon runs off, startled by my re-emergence, and pauses at the edge of the woods to give me another look before he continues his morning forage. Newly opened sunflowers wait patiently for the rising sun as the old flowers hang, getting ready to drop their seed. The profuse Ticktrefoil sit, flowers seeming to emulate the nearby Helianthus, as they too look for the new dawning of the day. My Oxypetalum continues to develop new blades as the season for its growth continues. Helping them along, I harvest some ripened Coriander seed and scatter them into the bed for reseeding.
I pray this new day finds you well and fortune smiles upon you. May this current cycle of rebirth and renewal infuse your being with joy and eagerness to excel, and may your path to success open clear before you. Have a most wonderful day.
Morning . Nature . Stoic
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
So often we find ourselves quite baffled at our world and how it chooses to treat us. Daily, we continue our plans as if the same rules that applied yesterday still apply today. Most times it happens that way, but, as we go forward we fail to realize, each interaction we have with others creates ripples in future events that can cause new rules to apply tomorrow. Our humorous universe also sees fit that we never know when the new rules go into effect. We should always remember to treat each day as if we know no rules, and strive to learn our way once again.