As the wind pushed the van around, sleet pattered against the exterior of my metal box. It is 5:22 am, about an hour before the time I wanted to wake up, but I know now is the time. I kiss my partner and roll out of bed. My feet land on the chill of the floor, I grab my journal and head to the front seat to get some thoughts down on paper.
As I wait for the sun’s rays to work its way into the atmosphere, I flow atop the yoga mat, loosening my body for the wandering that is soon to come.
Stepping out of the van, the temperature is 29 degrees Fahrenheit, there is a fresh layer of snow in the desert. Quickly closing the door in hopes of keeping my partner’s warmth within, I begin to wander. The goal, return with a few images I can be proud of on this unique morning. I mean, how often do you get to see snow in the desert?
Almost immediately, my eyes begin to water as the wind attempts to blow me off the cliff. Each step lands with a crunch from the frozen earth. My hands, even though they are covered by gloves, are losing feeling. Escaping the winds barrage, I dip behind a rock on the edge of a cliff. Pulling out my camera, I am ready to start creating.
At this point, my memory of the morning is blank.
There is a feeling when you are on the right path in life that motivates you to keep going. Waking up any hour doesn’t become a chore, but something you look forward to experiencing. For myself, the opportunity to get out of bed and be splendidly surprised by this world has no price tag, nor can I think of a greater way to live. When I find myself in the position of living in the present, I lose all sense of worry or grandeur, I am simply living. The voices in my head have stopped arguing, I hit my flow state, and experience my surroundings.
This loss of memory is just that, me flowing through life.
Walking the road back to the van, I am hiding my hands in my pockets. My camera battery has indicated that it is dead, but really it has frozen. I can feel the windburn setting in, yet my body is warm. Actually, my body is hot. Crawling into the front seat of the van, I try to be as quiet as possible, for my partner is still asleep. Taking a peek over my shoulder, she looks absolutely beautiful as she continues to sleep in the back.
Turning my gaze to the camera’s viewfinder, I scroll through the images. I may have achieved my mornings' goal.