It had been weeks since we had seen a good sunset. Most of the time, clouds were covering the horizon from Florida's daily thunderstorms. It had been raining most of the afternoon, so I didn't expect to see anything.

My husband and I were busy playing games and I was trying my best to keep my spirits up. I had been down most of the day. It hit me, this wall of depression, and I couldn't shake it. The day before had been equally hard; my heart felt crushed under an invisible weight. Until now, the emotions of grief were mostly foreign to me. Losing my Papa (grandpa) a few days before changed all of that.

It took strength I didn't have to do anything. I had just finished the last assignments of the semester. They had seemed impossible to finish with my emotions clouding my mind, but I did it and was relieved to have it done.

As we played games, golden light filled the room. I glanced outside, and the clouds had turned to gold. The setting sun was shining brightly. I stepped outside, and I could see the sun through the clouds. I knew it would be a beautiful sunset, one to remember, one I had to see. I ran back in to look at my phone 7:30. We still had time. Quick I told my husband we have to see the sunset.

I got him off his game and we ran to the car and drove to the beach. I had missed our last-minute sunset dashes. As we drove, I could see the sun through the trees and houses. It was blinding to look at and so golden. The whole sky was illuminated in gold. It was serene, peaceful, beautiful. I could feel it lifting the weight I had been carrying. The light was embracing and comforting me.

We approached the little nature park across the street from the beach. There were many spots open for a Sunday evening, the rain must have kept people away. As we walked onto the beach. The sun was as bright as ever. The clouds behind us were dark. A rainbow formed in the clouds and grew brighter by the second. I felt even more peace.

I walked through the small sand dune. Beach grasses and the familiar dune flowers lined the sand path. And there was the water. It was calm and there were few people around. The tide was lower than I had ever seen it. Skimmers, sandpipers, and seagulls bolted back and forth, calling as they fed on a massive school of minnows that filled the water's edge. They bolted around our feet and jumped out of the water. I had never seen so many of them at once and the birds were taking advantage of this opportunity.

I watched the birds and listened to the waves and the sun was stunning. I got pictures and videos, but then stood and watched and held my husband as the sun lowered and its light reflected across the water. The clouds were rimmed with gold then oranges and pinks.

I didn't turn my eyes away as it dropped lower and lower. I watched as its circle sunk into the horizon. I felt peace. I felt okay. It was as if the universe or Papa or God or someone knew just what I needed in that moment, for the sun to embrace me, for its golden light to warm me, to comfort me and hold me.