Waking Up in the Early Mountain Morning

I awaken early in the morning.  Early morning light in creeping in through the window, dimly lighting the room.  I sit up in bed and look around the room.  I get out of bed and stretch.  I go to the bathroom and splash cold water upon my face, fully waking myself.  the shock makes my eyes open completely, and my mind begins to work properly.  In the morning, when one just wakes up, the mind tends to be in a sort of twilight zone.  I am no longer in the twilight zone.  I am in the real world.  But I am still at peace.  I am in the mountains, the beautiful, majestic, mountains.  I get dressed and go down stairs, open the door and step outside.

The rush of cool, morning, mountain air hits me, and I breath deeply through my nose, smelling the freshness. Birds chatter wildly in the towering pine trees around me, calling out, 'Good morning, good morning!"  I begin walking to nowhere in particular.  I simply walk quietly, listening to the sounds of the mountain in the early morning.  No one else is awake yet.  I am alone.  I am at peace.

As I am walking across a grassy field I hear the barking of a dog.  Looking up on a nearby hillside I see a coyote yapping into the woods.  He has seen me, and is alerting his fellow coyotes.  I have the feeling that I should leave, yet something magical about the creature draws me in closer.  I stand and stare at the dog for a few moments.  Then I hear a noise behind me.  A second coyote is running around me and up the slope to the first.  I feel a slight tinge of fear for only the slightest second.  There could be many more coyotes nearby.  But as soon as it comes, the fear goes.  Instead a sense of adventure takes over me.  I move in closer.  I begin climbing the slope.  I stand watching the coyotes for a little while.  Then I decide to leave them be.  Chances are following a couple of coyotes into the woods it foolish.

I head back towards the buildings and make my way back to my room.  Before I enter I take a look around at the trees and pale blue sky.  I take another deep breath and enter the room.  I fall back onto my bed and close my eyes.  I am at peace.  I am in the mountains.  I am at peace.