Good Morning Starshine!

Sunrise in December, originally uploaded by aryllascott.

Isn't it amazing how song lyrics from our youth just stick with us? I was listening to Oldies while driving around here in Tucson and was amazed that I could easily sing along with early Beatles and Rolling Stones songs that I hadn't heard in years. Lyrics emerged from musty brain-drawers closed forty years ago. How could it be? I could see the long play record spinning on my turntable.

And late last year, when I sneaked outside in my nightie in the cool morning air to look at this sunrise, I smiled, "Good Morning Starshine, it's so good to have you back again" even after just one night. I'm sure there have been many songs written about sunrise since Hair in 1967, but this is the one that comes to my mind. My teenage years are the imprint that defines the poetry of my life.

Good morning 20-11. I think I shall call this year twenty-eleven, not two thousand eleven, as I've done with 2010...there's something about that one extra syllable that makes me just want to drop it. A lot of things will drop away this year -- a long career -- I'm retiring, and my definition of 'home' -- we are moving from Alaska to Arizona. You gotta let go if you want to grab on to new things.

What will all these changes be like? Who knows. But good morning 20-11. Hurray for sunrise, and beginnings.