Good Morning, NYC! A Winter Sunrise Over the East River

January 8, 2016
New York City, NY

Sunrise over the East River: the view from my window

I don't like to admit it, but it's not very often that I am out of bed in time to see a sunrise, no matter the season. But this morning something unknown, unseen propelled me out of bed just after 7 AM.  I wandered into the living room and, as I peered out our large west-facing wall of windows, I noticed that the solid brick wall of the low-rise building located a block up from us, along with the high-rise construction site just to the west of it appeared to be positively glowing, the glass windows beyond glittering prettily in the new morning light; just past our apartment, these typically un-noticeable Midtown buildings were bathed in a golden-orange light of a type that I had never before witnessed.  

East 39th Street, looking west

Intrigued by this dazzling display, I quickly crossed the living room to look in the opposite direction, feeling an intense need and curiosity to witness the cause of this amazing glow.  I opened the window, the north-facing one with the broken window guards that allow me to stick my head and upper body completely out the window so I can see to the east, and immediately I was assaulted with an unpleasantly brisk breeze.  Ugh!  But, as I gazed out over the East River, I was also I was met with a beautiful, soft, golden sunrise, the likes of which I had never seen before, not since our move to Manhattan anyway.  

I suddenly knew what subconsciously got me out of bed.  And, especially after enduring two energy-sapping, depressing days of bitterly cold temperatures earlier in the week, ones that made me seriously question the wisdom (or sanity) of our decision to leave California, I felt joyful to be confronted, for once, with something positive about winter: sunrises occurring so late in the morning that even this non-early riser could be treated to one on occasion!  

And I knew it was going to be a good day.