A sunset is one of life’s inspiring gifts that I have grown to appreciate over time by paying more attention to it. I enjoy being captivated by the dramatic theater of a sunset.  To discover a colorful sunset display by accident, or become mesmerized by a rainbow of color while on vacation far away from home, is an extraordinary experience.

Watching a sunset unfold is like discovering a secret entrance into a live performance that is uniquely yours. The performance is for one night only and when it finishes, you feel privy to peek through a window into the grandeur of Mother Nature’s artistry. While others may glimpse an alternate version of the live performance, some may not even see it at all.

I became fully captivated with the “Art of a Sunset” when I moved to Guam. I had just spent three years living in Hong Kong when I relocated to live atop a cliff overlooking the Pacific ocean. I remember my first evening at home after we finished unpacking and I walked into the back yard to take a breath. The sunset that evening was spectacular. After three years of intense city life, the experience of walking barefoot through grass while surrounded by an incredible sunset, was a breathtaking welcome.

As the pulse of daily life fell into groove, I would periodically arrive home in time to glimpse the evening’s wonderful array of colours. I quickly learned the strategic placement of my home was on par with having a front row seat, center stage. When the performance began it enveloped my entire living room and pulled me into the back yard so I could witness the magic. How awe inspiring it is to have a canvas of the grandest scale in front of you as your back yard.

It did not take long for me to become accustomed to arriving home in time for the show to start. In fact, as the day progressed, if Mother Nature appeared to be setting the stage for a spectacular event, I would juggle my calendar to arrive home in time. It’s interesting how quickly I connected to this dramatic display of nature’s artistry, when it was a daily event I under appreciated for over forty years.

Basking in the beautiful warm glow of a sunset is a moment to disconnect and enjoy the present. It’s an opportunity to appreciate one of life’s wonders, and on a positive note, you don’t need to be on vacation. You just need to open your eyes to witness the daily “Art of the Sunset” perform its colorful dance into the horizon and exit the stage.

Watching the sun set at the end of the day, is when the passage of time is most evident. It’s when we realize another day has passed, and Mother Nature brings it to closure with an exclamation point. It’s when we pause to reflect on another page of our journey, and today’s colorful exit fades away into the promise of a colorful new tomorrow.