I Know Why the Sea Gull Squawks at Dawn
I would too if I had fewer than 5000 sunrises to experience in life
For three mornings in a row, I rose pre-dawn to the sound of “Huwah, Huwah, Huwah” shrieking from the gulls flying over the harbor in the dark. As if an alarm blaring to wake me up, by that third morning I had learned the lesson of the beautiful significance of that screeching squawks broadcasting beyond the closed window.
We were visiting family and had the opportunity to stay at a waterside harbor condo for a few nights, overlooking the calm waters and bobbling boats from the patio — as the storm clouds came rolling through on a December night in California. Not known to set alarms for the morning, it was surprising that before dawn the next morning, we both awoke to the gulls announcing that the storm had passed and dawn was breaking soon.
I quickly jumped out of bed — the sudden and jarring noise of the gulls was an even harsher wake-up call than an alarm clock. But within minutes, I was so glad I paid attention to the gulls’ clarion call. I grabbed a steaming hot cup of coffee and opened the door to the patio. Sitting in the dark, I looked over to the east and noticed the cracks coming through the clouds, the sun making her way as we greeted the new day.
