Bradford Lad: All Is Quiet
Waking early on a cold dark morning Mike Coatesworth finds his aunt sitting on the doorstep of their home
All is quiet, not even a sound from the birds. It will be light in a couple of hours.
I received a letter recently from a person asking why I write early in the morning. The answer is simple. My mind sharper at this time of day, and I get the peace and quiet that I need to enable me to write. During the day I am frequently visited by my children and grandchildren so at times it is difficult to concentrate.
Ever since I was young I have usually been awake before the birds.
One dark winter morning when I was a lad I came downstairs to find my aunt sitting on the doorstep. She was looking up into the clear night sky, with its shining stars. She glanced at me and smiled when I sat down beside her.
‘Why are you sitting here in the cold?’ I asked, shivering. The biting breeze did not appear to affect my aunt.
She was silent for a few moments. I knew from experience that she would give me an answer when she was ready.
As she placed an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to her I could smell the strong scent of the carbolic soap which she used. Already I was feeling warmer as the heat from her body passed to mine.
‘I’m looking at all those stars,'' she said. "Wondering what they are there for.''
She said she had always been taught that there is a purpose for everything, but no matter how many times she gazed into the night sky she could discover no reason for the stars being there. Not had she been able to figure out why there were people on Earth. Thinking about such matters gave her a headache, so she had decided to concentrate on enjoying life while she could.
Noticing my puzzled expression smiled and hugged me tightly. "Never take the beauty of the earth and sky for granted,'' she said.
She gave me another hug. "Take each day as it comes. Enjoy what nature provides. Now...'' She took my hand. "Let's have a go on the garden swing.''
I protested that it was early and still dark.
"‘So what?'' she replied. "Let's enjoy life while we can.''
Our laughter echoed down the empty road. In those moments nothing else in the world mattered.
If you think my stories are true, then they probably are.
If you think my stories are fiction, then just relax and enjoy the tales.
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