August 04, 2007

The jewel-like stars slowly lost their dazzling sparkle as the first purplish shafts of light flooded in from the eastern horizon, illuminating stray clouds floating nearby. The purple and pink coming in slowly engulfed the deep blue of the night along with the last remaining stars until all above me there was nothing but the faint pinkish-orange colours of dawn. A cool sea breeze blew my hair away from my face as I stared at the sea waiting for the first sun of the year to rise. The cool touch of the water as I dipped my feet in the sea coupled with the serene breeze of the morning made me feel as tranquil as the sea birds I saw bobbing up and down on the gentle waves near the sea shore until I was at utmost peace with the world, my head nodding lightly and my eyelids feeling heavy.

“So serene… so calm… so peaceful,” I thought to myself as I stared up at the orange clouds of dawn. “To think that this much beauty is hidden in every little corner… every tiny, quaint village… It's amazing.”

I finally broke my gaze from the clouds and looked out towards the source of the light. The dull yellow sun was nothing more than a gentle curve, shyly peeking from a bit above the sea. The yolk coloured arc got larger and larger as the sky got bluer and bluer. Now the sun was becoming too bright, so I diverted my gaze to my surroundings.

The twitter of a bird greeting the new day could be heard in the distance as a small number of children came out on their bikes to enjoy the refreshing morning wind. The nearly risen sun shone down, overlooking gardens with flowers in bloom, whilst people emerged from their homes, looking forward to a happy new day.

I had done what I had come to do. I witnessed the simple beauty of a sunrise over the sea. Taking one last glimpse of the now fully risen sun that shone down on this small corner of heaven on earth, I sighed. It was time to go back home.