Sunsets, Please

Lake Ray Roberts, December 2006

You know, sometimes sunset is my absolute favorite part of the day. Sunset and/or sunrise. Other than the fact that those always beautiful times in my opinion, what is it that marks those moments as special?

I suppose it's the fact that both sunset and sunrise are the transitions of the day into night and vice versa. One flows into next with a setting or arising of the very thing that gives each its identity, perpetually.

Sunset makes me stop and watch. Sometimes it startles me, takes my breath away, makes me think, makes me sigh, makes me cry, makes me jubilant, or makes me just plain happy. Perhaps because it's the promise of night and then the promise of the next day too? Or, more like, a sunset is a daily performance when everything gets to put on its best colors and show off: trees, clouds, people, everything! Whatever the sun is doing that day, the world gets to reflect it beautifully at sunset. That's pretty amazing!

So why do people rush off to dinner or to evening class or rehearsal without looking up and out of the window!? I mean, just glance at the sky! That's all it takes for the human in each of us to leap up and say, "That's a beautiful thing". I like that: The Human in All of Us. So stop and watch the sun set. If only 10 seconds, watch it! Appreciate it. Remember it later in the evening.

p.s. check out some of my favorite sunset pictures from my life at my Reader:
http://ryansshorereader.blogspot.com/2008/02/sunsets-please-my-favorites.html