All my life I’ve been lucky to live in a room where the window faces west. At home and at college, I see the sunset every night. Some nights are prettier than others, but every night is equally as important.
You’ll notice things like the clouds don’t turn pink. The bottom of the clouds turn pink. You can watch people or watch nature. Birds are quite funny. The sky changes colors and as the sun sets, the colors progressively turn richer and deeper.
Orange turns to pink and pink turns to purple. You’ll notice how expansive the sky is on a good day with lots of clouds. You’ll wonder how many other people are enjoying this beautiful earth and sky, or are too busy with their connected, nonstop lives.
Gazing at a sunset ushers in a sense of calm. Reflect on the day or zone out for a moment. You can do this alone to gather your thoughts and energy, to find a sense of calm in the hectic day, or you can do this in a group, to feel connected with nature and humanity.
People need quiet time. You spend all day draining the battery on your phone, your laptop, your tablet but you also drain yourself. You need to recharge. Shut your brain off for a bit. People weren't made to be wired in all the time.
As an introvert, I admit I need quiet time. It brings peace and calmness. It reveals truth and transformation.
Next time you want to power nap in the evening before dinner, instead of resting your eyes for a few minutes, find a compass pointing west and locate the day's dying sun. Take a moment to reflect, gaze, and be filled with wonder at nature and your surroundings.
Find humor. Find peace. Find joy.
You will feel simultaneously small and big in the world. If you let your mind be free, you will come alive.
In "The Chosen," Chaim Potok wrote, “I've begun to realize that you can listen to silence and learn from it. It has a quality and a dimension all its own.”
This is why I don’t search for sunsets. I chase them. And so should you.
