Amy in the Garden

It is so delicious to be an early riser. Every morning is Christmas morning, with gifts given just to you, because you were up to receive them.

I just watched several cars, commuters traveling to work early, slow down to allow a young deer to bound in front of them. They started their day with the vision of youthful strength — how do such large animals move so lightly? — and that vision might inspire them through the day. (“Another meeting?! …sigh… Perhaps I can just bound right through it.”)

I have bounded through many a meeting. Enough of my mind present to participate, but most of my mind with that early-morning deer.

I will take MacKenzie, the Queen of Early, on a walk in a few minutes, and I’m certain we will be the first ones on the path. We walk through the Croton Dam Reservoir park, up and down switch-back paths, past stands of pine and through meadows of wildflowers and a variety of monarda (how did that domesticated rascal appear here?). If we are indeed first, I will be brushing spider webs off of my face and arms as we thread our way through the narrow paths to the sandy roadway. Rather than jumping in alarm at that tickly feeling on my skin, I feel regret at plowing through such hard work. I am genuinely sorry. Those spiders worked for quite awhile, spinning, working to gather food for themselves, that will ultimately feed another generation. I spin, too, to feed my children, and I see my labors broken by others (usually the ConEd bill), always without apology. ( The trick is, I guess, to spin enough webs so that the blunderers don’t take too much from you.)

But I hope that in return for breaking a few webs, my appreciation of the early morning magic will repay. I’m going to look for the red fox this morning. I hear that the fox is back, and appeared with kits earlier this year. I don’t worry about having MacKenzie with me, as I know she won’t hunt to kill. She chases to intimidate. Once the animal is on the run (deer, squirrels, crows), she returns with a look of immense satisfaction on her face. Her early morning work was a success, and she looks forward to the rest of day, at peace with herself.

Early morning appreciations always result in a better day for me. I know that I work better, and am nicer to be around. That’s my reward every time I make the effort to start early.

WORDS FROM OTHERS

“Can I have a pig too, Pop?” asked Avery.

“No, I only distribute pigs to early risers,” said Mr. Arable.

–E.B. White, “Charlotte’s Web