Sunrise

Autumn is here!

& Summer was great.

I graduated from college in May, celebrated my best friend's wedding in June, enjoyed Mexico in June/July, and spent the beginning of August in Brazil. I'm so thankful for such a beautiful summer.

When I came back from Brazil, Emerson and I fulfilled a dream that we've had for a while---watch the sunrise on the beach! I don't remember exactly what day it was, but we woke up super early and found ourselves completely unprepared. We stopped at ShopRite and we were a little frustrated at our lack of preparation (we did learn for next time, though!). The bakery was closed and so was the deli, so our sandwiches weren't going to be as fresh as we hoped. We grabbed the best items that we could, picked up a bag of ice, and quickly filled our cooler with the little the we had. The sunrise was coming and we still had an hour to drive! We really thought we were going to miss it, and despite our frustration, we decided we would be grateful for our time and make the most of it regardless of what would happen.

We drove in silence for most of the drive. We could see small glimpses of light, but wanted ever so badly to make it in time. "We're not going to make it, and that's okay" was the little-hope phrase that we had left.

Ladies and gentlemen, we arrived at Ocean Grove and parked the car just in time. It was perfect timing. Emerson turned the car off and then screamed "WHOAH!!!" I looked to where he was staring and there in the distance, out in the horizon, was the brightest, fieriest red that I have ever seen. We got out of the car and the cold breeze welcomed us fiercly. We stood in silence and just stared. At first it was a small dot---still completely mesmerizing---and it quickly grew into a beautiful, enormous, red ball--- each second distancing farther and farther away from the ocean in which it was hiding. It was spectacular, tremendous, breath-taking, a-ma-zing.

I've witnessed the sunset, in all it's breathtaking glory, but the sunrise was something that really touched me. It marked the beginning of this new day, the start of something fresh. It's beauty would ignite the next couple of hours that would hold and host our thoughts, our worries, our goals, our actions. The sunrise was a reminder of God's mercy that is new every morning. I don't often physically stop to see either of these--the sunrise or God's mercies-- & being able to do so on this lovely August morning was magical to me.

Emerson says that every second is an opportunity for redemption & I agree. However, sometimes we feel that we need something bigger to mark or start that opportunity. Maybe some of us really do need a sort of "rude awakening" to get us moving and living and loving. Every second, though, we can make decisions to do, be, feel, think better. The sunrise marks a new beginning but it is representative of the new beginnings and fresh starts that we can truly take at any moment. God's mercies are new every morning and the sunrise is proof! You're alive! I hope I'm making sense. I hope you're encouraged. I hope we can be thankful for the sunrise and the new day of life that we get after each one. I wish the sunrise would evoke more beautiful words out of me, poetry or song or something more intelligible. I'm left with less words than I hoped but more heart-felt emotions than I imagined. You can't see my heart, but I hope that my words are small reflections of what it contains.

We had planned to enjoy the rest of our day on the beach but ended up leaving early. The sunrise itself was totally worth it for me. I took very few pictures and posted three for you to see. They're not the greatest quality or the most beautiful images but they're special to me. I didn't get any of the actual rising of the sun, but I hope that encourages you to go see one for yourself ;)