Sunset People
There’s two kind of people in the world: Those who enjoy ending their day by watching the sunset, and those who prefer to see the sun come up each morning.
(Of course, the real world is not so black-and-white. As in everything, there are nuances that shade and contour the world in myriad ways; I'll leave you to infer your own meditations and perspectives on this.)Let's talk about those Sunset People:
This isn't merely a case of being active when the sun goes down, as most of us are. It's about actually stopping what you're doing and taking the time to watch it happen. Sure, a breathtaking sunset can be arresting, insisting we stop and stare at how it colors the sky in dramatic ways, textures the horizon, and casts its angular light upon everything around. It's natural to stop whatever you're doing and take in the moment. But to make an intentional effort to wait and watch and absorb that moment is what defines Sunset People in a particular way.
Sunsets tend to have warmer colors than sunrises; colors like red, yellow, and orange can stir various emotions, from comfort and warmth to hostility and even anger. So the sun going down pisses people off? Not if you consider the pagan thought that the sun setting is about release, cleansing, and letting go. As you lose yourself in the colors and the light, you may find your mind breaking away from the stress of the day. It's done. You made it.
Sunset People get it. Appreciating the end of the day leaves you refreshed. They know slowing down to take in a quiet experience doesn't always come easily. (Perhaps the desire to stop and gaze had been superseded long ago by the instilled need to get things done - hurry, hurry, hurry!) Yet, they have learned that when you stop long enough to enjoy a sunset, you are getting something very important and necessary done.
Try it.
Plan to stop whatever you're doing. (Believe me, whatever you have going on can wait.) Take a glass/bottle/cup of wine/beer/tea in hand. Better still, grab someone to enjoy it with. Find a spot to sit and watch that brilliant orb that warms our souls and lights our days settle in for the night. Hopefully, you'll find, in the end, that life feels just a little bit better.