The bright sunlight pushed its way through my curtains; filling the small, white room with light and easing me to full consciousness. A flock of birds chattered noisily in the mango tree outside and the songs and shouts of schoolchildren floated in from the village next door. My eyes opened slowly, and I lay there for a moment, enjoying the temporary coolness of the dawn.
I padded into the kitchen and flipped the hot water kettle on, then pulled a cheerful yellow mug down from the shelf. I poured a packet of instant coffee into the bottom of the mug, then added the steaming water. Stirring the coffee, I walked over to my living room chair and sat down. I pulled my leather-bound Bible off the end table and flipped it open.
Forty-seven minutes later, I slipped on my sandals, unlocked my front door, and stepped outside into the warm sunlight. A tall tree with brilliant red flowers greeted me. I walked across the grass, the heavy dew wetting my feet. In the distance lay the giant form of a sleeping volcano, swaddled in puffy white clouds and marking a sharp contrast to the brilliant blue of the sky. On the previous evening, an earthquake had caused the ground to roll in uneven waves, a solemn reminder of unseen volcanic activity.
On my right, the wet grass ceases, showing instead the dark nakedness of the rich ground. My co-worker’s garden is lush with plants of various shapes and sizes, sporting both the beauty of flowers and the utility of fruits and vegetables. Occasionally a white and black pussycat meows in greeting and saunters toward me, wanting to be shown attention. This morning, though, no feline appeared, and I continued.
Closer to the office, my footsteps made crunching sounds on the gravel drive, then fell silent as I mounted the stairs to the office door. I punched in the code on the soft keys of the number pad, and a small light turned green as the lock clicked open. I swung the door open and for a moment I see darkness. Then, my eyes adjusted, and I stepped inside. A few strides brought me to the door of the homeschool room, standing ajar. Once over the threshold, I walked to my wooden desk in the corner, laid my bag down, and began to prepare for the day ahead.