Today is "the" day.

Morning View, listening to the bird’s chirp through the kitchen window.

Woke up early this morning. Not on purpose.

My son was ready to wake up…6:30am. And he has learned how to turn on the bright light in our bedroom, and proceeded to induce my body to pop immediately out of the bed to turn it off.

Turning on the light triggers a memory from many years as a kid to a teenager, when my mom would “cut” the big light on, to wake me and my sister for school. (“Cut the light on” is a New Orleans phrase, similar to “making” groceries).

To not disrupt my husband’s sleep, H and I exit the bedroom and walk to the living room where we lay down together on the sofa and watch Mechabuilders (with Elmo, Cookie Monster and Abby) and then an episode of Sesame St.

Midway into the Sesame St. episode, I realized that we left the kitchen windows open to let in the cool air from outside.

As the sun rose, I could hear a bird singing, as in pure joy and gratitude for the new day.

The song was in a rhythmic four: “one two, one two, one two, one two”, but as the sound of a bird chirp. Then there would be a pause and the song would repeat. Then after about 5, maybe 10. minutes max, the singing stop.

Time for the bird to begin her day.

I made a post recently, about how being joyful and having gratitude can at times feel counterintuitive, especially during times of sorrow.

But hearing this bird begin its morning routine greeting the sun with a gift— a sweet gift for all who were near could enjoy. It made me question my own attitude for this new day.

Today is not “a” new day.

Today is “the” new day.

Today is “the” day. The only day, I currently have.

Let’s be glad, and be grateful for it.

Wishing you a great day.

-AVM