Watching Sunsets
When the sun bids farewell, it tells of a story. A story that is composed of tomorrow’s promises, music and emotions. In this narrative, there is not a single main character, rather, almost every element found on Earth collaborates to bring a magnificent broadway show that can be experienced to those who seek it. Everyday is a spectacle, an orchestra sang and played by the sirens of the sea and the tenors of every living creature, the sun, acts as the backdrop of the theater. As the sun slowly gives way to dusk, a dramatic realization occurs that reminds me of how beautiful everything is and how people take life for granted in the simplest ways. Have you ever watched the sun set? If you haven’t, then you should consider alloting time to see the spectacle.
The west coast of Florida is the perfect place to experience sunsets (that works with my current state of residence). Naples, Sarasota and Ana Maria are only a few spots to set up your beach chair to bask in the glory of the sun while it gracefuly retreats down to the horizon. The sky slowly ripples from being blue to yellow, then orange, with hints of gray and red. The closer you are looking to the sun, the more striking and vivid the colors are. Clouds blocking the horizon give an even more dramatic scene! It is beautiful, calming and rejuvenating. I can compare the experience to watching Bob Ross paint on a canvas. Have you ever seen him paint? He makes everything look so easy and he does it in a very calming manner. It relaxes you as you start to hear imaginative whispers telling you that you have all the time in the world to enjoy.
If you dig deeper and truly internalize the siginificance of sunsets, it is a time for one to reflect.
Twilights remind me of my younger years as my family would spend sundays at my grandparents’ farm. Life was simple back then, nobody was distracted by any devices and time was cruising at a comfortable pace. Children would play outdoors until they find themselves engaging in childish altercations regarding who cheated during a game, while adults sit by the gazebo to talk about life that I didn’t pay attention to—I was too young, too occupied by the magic of childhood. My grandparents reared livestock and as kids, we tended to these gentle creatures. I was fortunate enough to feed cows who towered over me and witnessed pigs giving birth to new life. None of these things happen anymore (not unless if you are a farm kid), kids are all imprisoned by screens, devices and the internet.
I was with family when I watched a sunset, it made me realize how time flies so fast and wondered where did all those precious moments go. How does one spend time in order for him/her to say that they spent it well? What matters more than having the people you care about next to you? It also made me realize that I am fortunate to be where I’m at, that I can schedule myself off from work to enjoy even just for a short period of time. It was a most needed rest.
For thirty minutes out of a day, you will be reminded of how God created everything without flaw. When you watch a sunset unfold, the sound of water pushing ashore, the songs of every bird in the sky and the gentle & tickling breeze of the wind are all in harmony. And during this time, life slows down, life is tranquil, life is what it should be. For thirty minutes a day, you get to sit back, relax and contemplate whether you have lived or are living a good life.
For thirty minutes a day, you feel one with the universe. Have you ever seen a sunset?