First light, and the lake is a mirror somebody polished all night. The mountain sits in the middle of the reflection, dark and doubled, and the sky above it goes from gold near the sun to a deep, patient blue at the top. The sun itself is a small white flare in the upper left, too bright to look at directly. Trees line the far shore in a low dark band, each one a thin stake, and their reflections wiggle just enough to remind you it's water. A few clouds drift, tiny and slow. I got up early once for a sky like this. 5am, thermos, frozen fingers, total silence. The lake didn't make a sound. It just held the light and waited for the day to catch up. That's the thing about sunrises. They don't perform. They happen. You either show up or you don't. This one's worth showing up for. The mountain's peak is a soft triangle, almost black against the gold, and the trees at its base catch the first warmth. The water is glass with the faintest ripple near the middle. Everything else is still. Breathe. The day hasn't started yet. #sunrise #lake #reflection #quiet
