There’s a hush that settles over the water at dawn, the kind of quiet that feels sacred—almost as if the world is holding its breath in reverence. The lake stretches out in front of me, a glassy expanse reflecting the gentle blush of early morning. Here, time slows. Here, my soul exhales.
I watch as my dogs, those furry bundles of kinetic joy, race along the shoreline. Their paws kick up dew-damp grass, their tails high with purpose and delight. They chase each other in wide, looping arcs, tongues lolling, eyes sparkling. There’s a kind of magic in their movement—a pure, unfiltered happiness that shoots straight to the heart and fills me with a calm, unexpected rush of dopamine. It’s impossible not to smile, not to let their exuberance seep into my bones and soften the edges of whatever weight I carried to the water’s edge.
Above us, the wind stirs the leaves in the trees. They flitter and dance, catching the light in a thousand shades of green and gold. I find myself watching the way each leaf trembles, the way the branches sway and bow. It’s a gentle reminder that God lives here, in the quiet beauty of the woods, in the hush between the breeze and the water, in the ordinary miracle of another day. The world feels both impossibly vast and intimately close, as if I’m being cradled in the palm of something loving and eternal.
Out here, the remoteness isn’t lonely—it’s restorative. The silence isn’t empty—it’s full, brimming with the subtle music of nature: the distant call of a bird, the soft lapping of waves, the rhythmic panting of tired, happy dogs. In these moments, I remember how alive I am. I feel the pulse of my own heart, the steadiness of my breath, the quiet joy of simply being. The lake’s serenity fills me up, washing away the noise and hurry of everyday life, leaving only gratitude and peace.
Sometimes, all it takes is a quiet morning, a wild-hearted dog, and the shimmer of sunlight on water to remind me of what matters. Of how much love there is in the world—whispering through the trees, running along the shore, waiting patiently for us to notice.
Reba Nietert 