Sunrise Dreams

Anglin's Fishing Pier, Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida.

During a peaceful November night, I found myself lost in thought, gazing out my window at the starry sky. Despite the cool temperature outside, the fresh air from a ceiling fan kept my room comfortably warm, and the moon's rays flooded the space. The peaceful night was interrupted only by the occasional hum of the fan blades as my mind wandered around a recurring dream that had been teasing me for several weeks. Glancing at my wristwatch, I realized that it was 4:44 am, and since I couldn't fall asleep and the sunrise was only a few hours away, I resolved to make my dream a reality.

My dream had portrayed an ethereal sky over a sandy beach with a pier that connected the horizon and the shore. Gentle waves rippled like silk sheets from the ocean to the beach, and a harmonious blend of soft-washed colors created a symphony of peach, orange, and blue hues. It was as though a canvas had come to life.

Upon awakening, I swiftly rose from my bed, collected my photographic equipment, leaped into my car, and set off towards the fishing pier that held the key to my dream. As I approached the pier, the gentle sound of waves breaking against the shore filled my ears, creating a soothing melody that soothed my senses. The salty ocean air was infused with a delicate aroma, carried by the nearby vegetation's breeze, mingling perfectly with the sweet fragrance of the rising sun.

As I prepared my camera, I stood in awe of the sun's first rays slowly peeking over the horizon, casting a warm and tranquil glow over everything around me. The sand and water came alive, shimmering in the soft light, and the waves seemed to dance in unison, creating a symphony of foam and gentle whispers. With my finger on the shutter button, I captured the waves' movement in a long-exposure technique, transforming them into a silky mirage as they flowed toward the shore. Despite the humid haze obstructing the lower part of the horizon, the sun's rays found their way through the cloudy sky, refracting and illuminating the pier, creating a breathtaking and unique scene.

For a moment, I thought I was inside a dream again; it was almost unreal how this photograph mimicked the vision that had been teasing me for several nights, but my camera had made it possible to preserve the beauty and emotion that the sunrise, the beach, and the fishing pier evoke in my sleepy vision. Sometimes our dreams remind us to appreciate the natural wonders around us, to pause and connect with our world.

As I admired this beautiful moment, I felt the urge to protect and preserve our environment so that future generations could experience a world that sometimes seemed possible only in our dreams.