I awoke, but had yet to open my eyes, my head turned towards the northern facing window about three feet from my bed. The light of the day illuminating my yet-to-be-opened eyelids with that familiar pinkish hue, alerting me that it must be a sunny day. I opened my eyes, not half-way at first, not to allow for any adjustment, but fully and abruptly, forcing my still dilated pupils to absorb the full colors of the day. Awaiting my senses was a strikingly blue sky, the kind you see on a crisp, c...