Watching a sunrise is good for the soul, especially now, with the horrors of nature so much in the news. Watching a sunrise over quiet water or dew-dampened land reconnects one with the well-ordered universe.

As is true for the audience at a compelling play, the sunrise audience does not merely observe, but experiences what is on stage, absorbs it, and often feels transformed. The dark sky turns gray, and then shifts into yellows and pinks and reds. Slowly one spot on the horizon begins to glow, as though a giant light bulb has been switched on somewhere on the other side of the earth. Then a brilliant red-orange sliver of fire pops up, followed by the glorious emergence of the entire blazing ball. The audience is silent. Even if people are standing side by side, they usually do not speak. The moment is shared, but also quite private, for each person is moved in his or her own way. This drama never grows stale even though human beings have seen it for millions of years.

Repetition is part of its power, for the cycle of darkness and light can anchor the turbulent mind and be as reassuring as the rhythm of the tides. No matter how destructive nature has been, the calm will return, and man will rebuild and heal. That is the promise in every new day.