Autumn Dawn
Manny awakes to the cold, dim light of dawn. He throws the covers off and sits up, being careful not to wake Vivian (even though she’s known for being a sound sleeper and probably wouldn’t stir if a herd of wild buffalo suddenly came stampeding through their bedroom).
Resisting the urge to curl up into himself or curl back into the warm pile of blankets behind him, he lets the shock of cold air grip his body. It isn’t the most pleasant way to wake up, but it’s fast.
Within a few minutes, he’s outside. The world is still and serene except for a few sparrows singing and the rustle of wind through autumn leaves. He jogs down the sidewalk toward one of his favorite trails, and by the time he gets to the trailhead, the sun is coming up and he’s warm enough, maybe even a little too warm.
Nobody else has ventured past their own front door at such an hour, and for a brief window of time, the world is his and his alone, and he’s happy. Happy to see red and gold leaves sway in the trees, happy to breathe fresh, crisp air in and out of his lungs, happy to feel the rhythmic landing of his feet on the soil beneath him.
Sometimes people ask him why in the world he would get up at dawn to go running. He can never tell them--not because there isn’t a short, logical answer to the question, but rather because they’re asking the wrong question. In Manny’s mind, the real question is this: The world is such a miraculous and beautiful place, why wouldn’t you want to get up and run around in it while you have the chance?
See next: Tender Moment
See all: Vintage Newcrest Gen 1 Table of Contents
