Reflecting

I awoke this morning to a calliope of birds singing.In the distance,as an accent ,I could hear the lone cry of an owl.
There was a time when I didn't want to be awake at five in the morning. When you are younger you have a tendency to sleep in. This is, of course, because you have  a tendency to stay up !
In the days before electric lights and television I'm sure more people went to bed early and got up early. I'm betting it wasn't always because chores had to be done either. In the summer months the coolness of the morning is refreshing.
I woke up, and lying there listening to this I thought how lucky I am to be able to hear all this. I still live in a place where it is rural enough and quiet enough ( at least early in the morning) to enjoy it. I spent many months at sea when I was in the Navy and the only bird I ever heard was the squawk of a seagull. Not my favorite bird. My father was fond of saying, " you're like a seagull,you don't do anything but eat, *hit and squawk ! Still,I confess,their sound did make me homesick on occasion.
In the news these last few weeks I have seen and heard about earthquakes,tornadoes,floods and eminent nuclear disaster. The number of lives affected is staggering. Those persons unfortunate enough to be in these areas don't enjoy the morning like I do. A majority of them don't even have a bed anymore.
This morning, as I lay there, I chided myself for feeling a little sorry for myself. My truck needs repair and the corn on my toe hurts. Wah ! Given the situation others are in, I'm not doing too bad. The birds are singing and it is going to be a wonderful day. I have my health,including my hearing, and people around me who love me. I've got a roof over my head and food in the pantry. Not a bad deal !