I can hear the birds singing, and feel the crispness in the air. I roll over, and open my eyes. Five a.m. on a Thursday morning and everything is still (aside from the birds). Wrapped in my blankets and soaking up all the peace and quiet, I lie there and think how wonderful the early morning is. The hustle and bustle of the business world has yet to take control over everyday life. It's usually such a hassle to have to get up so early and not be able to sleep in, but today I did it on my own, and it was nice. If only all day could be this quiet.

After cleaning up I decide I'll do the "morning thing" so I walk over to the corner store and pick up the newspaper and a magazine. Once I return home I take pleasure in drinking a cup of hot apple cider and reading about our world. The first headline says "World Peace Celebrating Tenth Anniversary." That wasn't quite what I expected, since when I went to bed there was war in Bosnia. It must be a mistake. The next headline states "Cure For Cancer!" That amazes me! I'd always hoped they'd come up with something soon. And the last title on the first page says "AIDS Epidemic - Wiped Out! All Patients Saved!" Are they kidding? Why didn't I hear about this sooner? Is this one of those tabloids? I wonder. But when I checked the title again, it was the same paper our town has printed for fifty years; no mistake there. So I decide to go back inside. It was still a little cool out. I walk down to my room because I knew my parents would be up soon and my room had turned into my own private hideout. A few minutes later I hear them get up and go into the kitchen for their usual coffee and breakfast. But there is an unfamiliar sound. Is that laughter? No, it can't be. They haven't laughed together in nearly two years. A minute later my mother opens my door and says she'd seen my light on. There's a different look about her too. Her eyes, usually tired and worn out, this morning are young and a vibrant blue. She looks ready to run the Boston Marathon on a second's notice. And her voice too, has a liveliness that it's been lacking in recent years. How happy and peaceful everything seems to be. How long have I been asleep? Then, I hear the birds chirping and I roll over and hit the snooze button on my alarm clock. It's a hot and sticky Thursday morning and the hustle and bustle of the business world has long since overtaken the city. Dreams always make everything seem peaceful. But we can't live in our dreams. If only we could.