I must be in heaven because there’s a white angel standing over me when I awake. No, heaven wouldn’t have smelly sleeping bags. I’m on the beach and it’s a yellow legged gull watching me carefully for signs of life as she encourages me from just beyond arm’s reach. “Up! Up! Up! Up!” she calls, with a lift of her bill each time, as if showing me the way.
When I open my eyes, she takes a step back but keeps the alarm going. Does this gull have a snooze button? I close my eyes again and can hear her walking on the pebbles. Eventually she shuts up. Then I hear her wings as she lofts herself over me and lands on my kayak. That’s it. I’m up.
I return her morning serenade as the mountains turn red-violet. My flute has a life of its own. I can exhale gratitude and music comes out.
Another day has begun on the islands of Loreto.
