Sunday Morning

I awaken in the pitch black of 4:00 am to the sound of wet streets—another day indoors with nothing to do.  I settle in to reading online and writing emails and then, at 6:50 am I see the thinnest of clouds. Suddenly I am high—the wall calls; I am out the door by 7:10.

I go by the French bakery for a scone. It is still on the cooling rack. Heaven. And there is no one up, let alone on the wall. And I have fabulous new music I love by Christine and the Queens, Julien Doré, Joseph Salvat and London Grammar.

Once on the wall, warm in the sun I feel as happy as I have ever been. It feels so good to be alive and looking forward to better and warmer weather. I have to take my coat off it is so nice and warm, and the smell of the air recalls so many memories of my youth.

The gulls are gorgeous, clean and healthy looking. A big Harbor seal cruises by and there are virtually no humans and those that there are, scurry by in their spandex and outdoor company logos. They are all joggers.

I see a man, perhaps in his late twenties. He is sitting on a bench. He is wearing bright red shorts, a blue t-shirt and running shoes and in front of him is a baby carriage. As I pass, he lifts his newborn out of its carriage and gently smothers it to his heart and breast. I start crying and silently pray. How can I not thank God for making me someone who can be moved by such a beautiful sight even though I know some of my tears are for the love like that I never got.

I walk the wall in record time and by the time I am home, the clouds have moved in.

This thing going on with God is weird, I know. But with [gender neutral pronoun] in my life, I am not alone and I have someone to thank for all that is good in my life. I remain unable to abide any religion I have ever met.

I believe lichen is the most pervasive plant on
earth and I believe it exists in every single
climate zone on earth. This piece has stunning
structure and fell off the branch of a tree as I
walked on the wall this morning.