I'll Fly Away
Dear Dove,
A dear soul told me recently that the reason birds sing first thing in the morning is to let the other birds know that they are still alive.
Being a bird, he explained, is a very vulnerable ordeal. A lot can go wrong while they are sleeping, with predators all around. Their song in the morning is a sign that they have made it through the night. It’s their way of saying “hey guys I’m still here!!!!!!!!”
I guess Leonard Cohen was right when he wrote, “The birds, they sing at the break of day, ‘start again’, I hear them say…”
I was an early bird this morning and decided to drive up the hill to watch the sunrise. This is something I’ve done many times, only today it was a little different. As I approached my normal viewing spots, where I can usually only hear the morning birds chirping, today I heard… reggae music!
I turned the corner to see a fellow sunrise watcher blasting Bob Marley from a Bluetooth speaker.
Most everyone else up there seemed to be quite annoyed by the music, and I will admit, the KFC advertisement that played between the songs was not quite ideal at 6:45 a.m. However, I kinda liked the change. I kinda liked greeting the brand new day alongside Bob Marley singing, joyfully, “Could you be loved and be loved?”
I think I could be, I answered Bob.
“Could you be alive, too?” asked the birds.
I think I could be, I answered.
I headed back down the hill and thanked Mr. Music for the vibes today. He smiled and gave me a bro-hug. I made it back to my little nest, and I sat down to write you this letter, to sing you this song.
Maybe for the same reason as the birds—to let you know that I am still alive. Not that anyone ever needs to prove they are alive, but I do believe being alive is a mighty good reason to sing.
HERE IS TO LIFE, on earth, with all of you, today.
LOVE!
Jake
Here is me singing “I’ll Fly Away”, just like they used to sing back home in Missouri on Sunday Morning…
