Sunrise

When I thought about the list of small things that make life great, sunrise was up there staight away. The beginning of a new day is always special - if you see it it means that you are still alive, and that has to be good. It's also the start of a new adventure...what is going to happen? If you are awake when the sun rises then take some time to watch it without distraction wherever you may be. Use all your senses.

I spent a good 6 months in the Kimberley region living out of a swag and sleeping under the stars back in the early 90s and sunrise was the most magical time of day - it was serene. I have used this extract from a novel that I am writing (that may never be finished, but still, I enjoy writing it).

Sunrise in the Australian bush is of one the most beautiful experiences. If this is not something you have seen, please let me describe it for you in some more detail. Imagine that you have just opened your eyes…

It is cool, even cold.

The sun still rests below the horizon but the sky is already a soft blue colour infused with white.

It is perfectly still; faded green leaves hang limp.

There is a sweet smell in the air, a cool damp aroma that comes from the vegetation. It’s as if someone has doused the country with air freshener. Condensation clings to leaves and the makes the soil moist underfoot; it also carries the smell into your nose. The chorus of birdcalls that greeted the first light of dawn some half an hour ago has ceased.

There is only silence.

This is as peaceful as it gets anywhere in the world, as serene as you can be.  Soon the sun’s rays will hit your swag and make any further rest unbearable, just as they had this morning, and you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to experience this again. So drink it all in and feel your muscles and mind relax. Just feel the serenity...