Idyllic Lyceum

As I awaken to a fresh breeze coming my window, I hear the sounds of morning. Nick either has not gone to sleep yet or he has awoken early and is already making music at the keyboard downstairs. His style is lyrical, and he is once again using the waves of the ocean as his rhythm. The songbirds in the courtyard start their own song, and Nick modulates up a third to accomodate their tune. I lay in my bed for a while, feeling the cotton of my shirt and the sheet on top of me, the canvas of the hammock beneath me, and I sway back and forth like this for seven minutes, thanking God for life, freinds, and the ocean.


When I do decide to awaken, I slip out of bed and into my jeans and Bohemian existance. I make my way down the hallway where my compatriots in enlightenment rest and down the steps to the lower level. In the kitchen, I start a kettle boiling and stare out of the window at the rising sun. The kettle whistles, so I take it off of the heat and pour seven cups. In two I put a bag of spearmint tea, in two lemon, and in the other three I put raspberry. I take a spearmint and a lemon to the next room, the conservatory. Nick continues to play as I set his cup down on the Steinway. I sit in the chair by the interior window, sip my tea, listen to the music, and watch the courtyard. The birds break their fast at our feeder or clean themselves in the bath. The fountain trickles its water down its many paths. It is early May, and the morning glories that have clumb up the far wall are opening to the sun as its rays creep down to the second floor windows. Nicks song ceases comping for nature and begins a slow, sad tune. After he has developed the song enough, I begin to sing a melody.


The sea may beat
For a thousand years
Crashing endlessly against our house on the cliff
But stay your fears
Our love needs no walls to survive.


The wind may blow
A cold cold chill
Over us and through us
But it never will
Cool the fire of our passion for eachother


I love you beyond time
I love you beyond space
I love you beyond the here and now,
the place and time
the hour of day
We have an extra dimentional love


Nick laughs his signature laugh. We stayed up half the night talking around the fire about the higher dimentions with two others. One of those walks in now, still giggling his Joe-early-morning-and-still-giddy giggle. He brings food, some scones from yesterday morning, and we stop the music to grab a few. Nick vacates the piano for me, and I begin my classically inspired peice after three bites. They listen as the arpeggios drift off into open chords, the high singing melody over minimalist voicings, and I add some new frills as I feel them. After I finish, I eat while they describe their thoughts on the piece. Nick says I need to add a verse where I arpeggiate under the melody to bring the two parts together, then go into the finale. Joe thinks I am focusing too much on the technical aspects and less on the feeling I wish to convey. I thank God for this moment.


The Girl walks in. She is the one to whom I belong, to whom I am engaged. We kiss good morning and she sits by the window I left. She adores the flowers in the pale early morning sunlight. Joe picks up an acoustic bass and bow, Nick kicks me off of the piano, and I take up my guitar. Joe bows a beautiful bassline, 1 5 1 -2 6 -3 -3. It hangs in the air, unresolved, at the end, before he repeats it. Nick adds some structure and syncopation to the chords, and I add some pretty extentions. Caleb and his girl have made their way down, he sits behind the bongos and lays down a pattern while she readies her flute. We continue like this until Nick takes a solo. He does very well, and we revel in his melody as we plumb the depths of the harmony. The Girl has sings a wordless tune next, she lets her voice drift over the scale. I love everything about her, but her voice is so sexy, it overshadows the other things at times like this. Joe's Girl comes in and gives him a peck on the cheek as she sits down and pulls out her violin. She takes the next solo, adding much vibrato and feeling to her notes. The rest of the morning continues in this fashion, everyone switching instruments as they please. We can all play more than one, we have been doing this for long enough, thankfully God gave us all much talent.


As the sun approaches its zenith, Joe and his girl announce that they wish to break for lunch. Caleb and I take out to jog the island for twenty one minutes while they prepare it. The physical exercise keeps me fresh, and I can use this time to clear my head. The lunch is a salad with fruit, open face sandwiches, and a glass of strawberry wine each. After lunch, Nick retires to sleep his siesta, and I go out with caleb once more. He and I work out together. We jog for a while, swim for some more, do some pushups and situps in between, and then, when we have warmed up, practice our martial arts. The Girls are doing Yoga, so after drills and sparring, we join them to cool down. We have an hour until dinner, so I grab a banana and hit a chair on the cliff. My Girl lies there with me, I put my arm around her. She tells me she loves me and is going to take a nap, I tell her I love her and will wake her when dinner is ready. With my other hand I hold my book, a textbook on solid state physics. I read the theories for a while as she falls asleep, safe in my arms. Thank God for her and these moments.


After I understand the theory, I begin to work out some of the problems, but soon degenerate into creating ideas about what other interesting branches this knowledge may lead to. I make plans to experiment on it when I get back, if I get back. I do not want to leave, it is paradise here with these people. I read further into the book and learn something that astounds me. Thank God for his intricate creation, it blows my mind how amazing and wonderful this world and the laws the govern it are.


I wake her with a kiss as I smell the fish that I see Joe taking off of the grill. Tomorrow it will be my day to cook, and I have three great meals planned. Today Joe has his famous Mango Jerk Mahi Mahi, and his girl is serving it with a white wine. Joe says grace, and we all tell how thankful we are to be here, with good freinds. We eat the wonderful meal, and look forward to a long night. I have some more studying to do, and Nick has taken a recent interest in physics. He can handle it, but he is so talented he can do almost anything and his attention span dictates that he do it all. Perhaps we will play more music, perhaps my eyes will get tired and I shall run to the other side of the island with My Girl and make obeservations of the stars. There are no electric lights out here but ours, and we keep them off at all times unless we are reading at night. The Medditaranian sky is perfectly clear and the stars sparkle like they did for the kings of old. I think that is what I shall do. I will come back tomorrow to make breakfast omlettes for us seven, but the night will be spent on the dew tipped grass.


Later that night, I pray.


Thank you God, for heaven. I cannot think of a single thing I want at the moment, it is perfect. Yet I know you have a place prepared for me more magnificent by far. Please continue to watch over us, and giving us daily what we need. I love you, and thank you for loving me, The Girl, Joe, Joe's Girl, Nick, Caleb, Caleb's Girl, our families, everyone we know, and everyone we don't know more than we can imagine. I live for your love, oh God. Keep me.