There is a pleasure that I get being the first one up. There’s a certain kind of quiet that mornings alone seem to have. Perhaps it’s because this is one of the only times that I sit in silence. Think of how infrequently we allow ourselves to be in silence. No TV, radio, or audio distractions from our phones; no background noise of other people around us.

I just heard a car drive by. In the evenings I can’t hear this because the volume in the house is too loud. But in the quiet of the morning, a car passing by is heard, and even the occasional sound of a train. Suddenly the furnace turning on is noticeable too.

But beyond these small distractions what is observable is the quiet. Not quite silence, but a wonderful quiet nonetheless.