Sunrise Symphony

Watching the sunrise over the marsh is a treasured moment in my day. The birds sing out, welcoming the light. The great oak trees hide beneath a layer of mist. The sky turns from deep dark gray to amber. Morning dew drips from the marsh grass and rice.

Two years ago, when admiring the majestic beauty of a morning like this, the only sounds were of nature. A woodpecker announced its arrival with a lurching squeal. The eagle screamed out at the young eaglets as hunting lessons began. Finches, cardinals and mockingbirds joined together in an orchestral symphony for the new day. Even the occasional grunt of a wild pig made itself known from deep in the marsh.

Today, all these sounds remain. The only difference is that a litany of man-made sounds has joined in. Even as the sun rises, the sound of automobile traffic invades. Like nails on a chalkboard, the rushing sound of the highways cut to the core.

Why? Coastal Georgia is losing the barrier that protects us from such invasive sounds. Developers keep developing and trees topple by the hundreds. Thick, dense forest becomes open space. The houses that replace the forest do not stand tall enough to protect us. And so the world rushes in to mar the tranquility of a sunrise.

The symphony ends and a noisy world busts in.

Good morning Coastal Georgia. Now wake up!