This morning I’m excited
Today I enjoy the blinding light from the horizon
That gently nudges my eyes open
From the window on my left.
I roll over, strain slightly while opening it
And revel in the earthy scent that meets my nose.

This morning I’m bewildered
Last night drowned, now parched
A cruel twist of fate
Mirroring the contorted state of my body.

This morning everything is magical
I bound down the stairs
Out the front door
And can’t help but beam back at the rays that are meeting my face.

What a beautiful sight to behold
White-and-gray mountains in the sky
Dramatically silhouetted with a halo from the sunlight,
Precious jewels, incarnated as water droplets
Decorate every leaf, branch, and delicate flower in my yard.

This morning everything is painful
I try with all my might to muster strength
To move and find solace from this furnace
In this desert
But in my befuddled haze,
Cannot figure which direction to go.

This morning I must
Enjoy this gift I’ve been given
And find my way to a contemplative spot.

Before I take a step further,
I find by my feet
An earthworm.
It’s writhing, on the pavement. 
I’m disturbed, but overwhelmed with empathy,
Camaraderie,
And a desire for this morning to be as enjoyable to it
As I’m finding it is for me.

I gently pluck a bejeweled leaf
From the hydrangea bush at my side
Apologetically watching the water drops that adorned it
Tumble into the soil.

I slide the tip of the leaf under the worm
Hoping any prick it might feel as a result is bearable
Lift it slightly,
Then lay the leaf, and the worm that lies atop it,
Back by the bush, so both may eventually converge with the soil.

I take another deep breath in,
To enjoy this miracle, I set out to explore outside my home.

This morning I must
Make peace with my fate
And submit to the end I believe I will meet, in this spot.

I suddenly find myself lifted
Now searing on both sides by this blinding light
Believing this indeed must be the end
I relax my grip, and let my body tumble slightly.
And then, a familiar feeling
I revel in the earth that I meet again.
By a miracle, I am back home.