Embedded Lessons

My usual morning routine during my week at the beach is to wake up early and watch the sun rise over the ocean. Sometimes that just involves the sky going from dark to light, but more often than not I am rewarded for my early rising ways with a slow, gentle and profoundly beautiful show. I sit on the balcony or in front of the picture window with a cup of coffee, my laptop, and the camera on my phone. I watch in a paradoxical combination of peaceful excitement.

This morning was basically a dark to light morning. There was a little tease of pink that I hoped might turn into a burst of orange, but it did not. It was rather disappointing, as far as sunrises go. I left the drapes open, though. The ocean on a less than gorgeous day is still not such a bad thing to look at.

I'm glad I did.

Because this morning there was a storm.

A storm over the ocean is not as photogenic as a sunrise - at least not when you're limited to the images the camera on a phone can provide - but it is no less captivating. Waves were breaking all the way back to the horizon. It was loud and fast and dark. It was scary and exciting and dynamic.

A metal morning, as opposed to the usual easy listening. 

I like metal.

And then -

And then -

The storm ended.