There are, as the saying goes, two kinds of people for every situation: those that like something and those that like something else. In this case, there are two kinds of people: those that like sunrises and those that like sunsets.
A sunrise itself can be spectacular as the world turns from the deep blue of night to the faint pinks and reds of dawn, the stars slowly dwindling into the morning sky, the clouds (if you are lucky) tinged with gold as they rise.
A sunset can be spectacular as the sun pushes up on the clouds in pinks and reds, making the whole sky seem an amphitheater, hitting that color of green/blue/aquamarine that I can never quite describe and lasts only for minutes before it is submerged into the rising darkness.
Of the many things that are lesser here in New Home, the sunsets have never been one of them. Sunsets here can be grand, glorious things with colors I have never seen anywhere else - and if I am traveling in certain places it stretches for miles and miles over a landscape that does not obscure it.
That said (and because I have the rather annoying habit of trying to find deeper meaning in everything), I am wondering if my love of and continuing enchantment with sunsets is indicative of my view of the world.
A sunset is a sign that a new day is coming, that a day of possibilities and tragedies awaits. A sunset is a sign that the day has ended, that darkness is coming, that (for the most part) activities are ceasing and the quiet of night (or the terror of night, if you are prey) is coming.
Perhaps my love of sunsets is simply the acknowledgement of the fact that personally, professionally, or even nationally, I see my part winding down (not right now of course, but sooner rather than later). It is not so much a loss of hope as it is understanding that things always, inevitably draw to a close no matter how much we may work or labor or act.
On the bright side, the clouds are always lovely.
Toward the end you wrote, "It is not so much a loss of hope as it is understanding that things always, inevitably draw to a close no matter how much we may work or labor or act."
ReplyDeleteYes, and I remarked to my wife this morning that far more of my life has passed than probably remains.
Yes, I'd like a little gene tinkering to lower my chances of death by heart disease, but on the other hand we are watching an older family member fade away from age related mental issues.
As you said earlier, there are indeed two kinds of people. We had taken out bicycles out for a ride along a canal towpath, and I'd stopped to take a photo.
I remarked to another biker, "I'd like to see a little more leave color."
She replied, "If things are good, you should leave them alone."
I smiled and said, "If I believed that was true, I wouldn't have the wife I have today."
She smiled and road off.
I think that you should reach for things beyond your grasp, and sometimes you will stretch to get them and find out those things were more valuable than you thought, and worth the effort.
But in other cases you will find out those things beyond your grasp are not worth having in your life.
In each case, good lessons learned.
John, so much wisdom in what you have written. I have more often than not in the past reached far more than I should have in some cases. I still do so, but in more measured ways.
DeleteGrowing up on a farm, I generally saw both the sunrise and sunset of any given day. Both brought me great joy. Sunrise meant that light would soon be here and the world outside of my tractor cab would expand and keep me entertained throughout the day. Sunset meant the day would end soon (relatively speaking to the season) and I would be able to go inside and focus on other pursuits or just lose myself in a book. But for me, the most beautiful sight of all was neither the sunrise or the sunset but of the kitchen lights filling the farmhouse windows as we were coming across the field to put the equipment away for a few hours. It always meant our family would soon be together again.
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful perspective Ed.
DeleteFor me - at least for most of my working life - both surises and sunsets have been spent commuting to work or from work. The association is very strongly that of the bookends to a sort of penal existence, as were - at times, I have missed both sunrises and sunsets from having to go early and stay late. At least the current turn of events has allowed me to appreciate both from home instead of an automobile window.
I love both! :) I love waking up when it's dark and seeing the sun rise, it's very relaxing. Sunsets for me are just stunningly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteRain, I will say that viewing sunrises and sunsets here in New Home instead of at The Ranch are different. Due to the orientation of the houses, sunrises are usually covered over or blocked out; sunsets (as demonstrated) have a much clearer field of view.
DeleteAt The Ranch, of course, there is nothing but trees to block either.
A lovely essay.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the "sunset" of my life, the growing awareness that I have more days behind me than ahead of me, has ushered in a sense of deep peace, and the desire to make peace with several things...and people. The sense of naturalness to aging and preparing to leave this life for the next is very keen in me these days, watching the beloved cycle of autumn, seeing the leaves that were so green and vital, catching the summer sun and turning it into food for the tree...and now spent and drifting down to the ground where they will change into food for the tree's roots...there is much beauty that sifts into my interior life.
Thank you for posting this.
S.K., I certainly can agree that it has given me a perspective that I perhaps was missing before. In my case though, I am finding that it makes focusing on the relationships that matter that primary. I find I am having to constantly battle the social media induced need to have "more people" - in reality, although knowing reams of people is nice, it is the deeper relationships that add the piquancy to life.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!