Good Morning Digitial Neighbors! Happy Sunday ADD Irregulars, WSN Aficionados, Friends & Refugees, Early Birds & Later Dayers, Conversants & Lurkers, PHAM & Misfits, Dawn Patrol and Day Walkers, Seekers and Wanderers.

I still don't wake with excitement, but I usually manage to rise with some appreciation for the new day before me. The day begins with prayer and coffee, and then my visits to the internet to either see what is happening on Locals, deal with e-mails or catch up with the news of yesterday. The muse is a funny thing, while I enjoy writing and sharing these ramblings whenever they strike me, I do wonder if such things are just an act of vanity. Much of my life is already filled with talking with others and I try to take it with a pinch of humility that I have something meaningful or worthwhile to share with them.

Much like my preaching, I begin thinking of what it means to me and where it might connect with you. Typos (of which there are plenty) and grammatical errors aside, one hopes to convey some sort of meaning within the words. Words are amazing, that one might read something written centuries ago and understand what that unmet person is saying to you. Much more than any dandelion seed blown by the wind, one never knows where a word or phrase will fly and take root. It is both humbling and humorous that the words you think might matter fall flat and the words you thought insignificant carry the most freight with them to some unknown reader or listener.

Of course that is also the joy in reading, that some other soul had something worthwhile to share with you. Their musings, whatever its subject matter, found its way into your hand and perhaps into your heart. Good books become part of our life, and like a child first enthralled by our favorite story, we have those books and authors that speak to us. I hope you have good books in your life, meaningful writings, thoughtful words that awaken you to the gift of the day before you. Life with all of it challenges, is still wonderous and amazing. Have a great day neighbors known and loved, and those I have yet to meet.

Each morning I awake
with excitement

overwhelmed by the leaves
turning outside the window,

the scent of fall,
the slant of morning light,

the books on my nightstand
filled with promise

the books on the coffee table
in the living room where you sit

already awake
in the unfolding of day

reading or writing, coffee in hand,
looking up and smiling, as you do.

Michael S. Glaser

Vermont this morning - James Spann