Sunsets have a bad rap and constantly play second fiddle to Sunrises.  Sunrises get all the attention – birds singing, children skipping, warmth penetrating through your windows on a cold day.  Sunsets have the opposite feel – the outside gets darker and colder, curtains draw, lights dim, cowboys ride off.  Beach sunsets have a little lighter mood, people clap and cheer when the sun goes down, but they still pack their stuff up and leave the Sun by itself.  I like Sunsets, to me they’re not gloomy at all, instead, they’re a great time for reflection, especially when you’re watching it by yourself.  Sunsets give you those rare quiet moments to think about how your own days have gone and ponder the remaining ones.

In legal terms sunset means the clause no longer exists; it didn’t get cancelled, it just faded away.  You hear that phrase a lot, “we’ll just sunset it.”  It’s an easy way to do nothing and it just fades away.  Sunsetting doesn’t work with toddlers.  When our sons were little we had them on a strict schedule for sleeping; there’s was no way we were going to let a 3, 3, and 4 year old decide when they were going to bed.  Generally they would go to bed right after sunset.  A few Sundays after a long Saturday night, we would try to put them in bed early when the sun was still up just so we could recover.  Close the blinds tight, read them books, etc.  It’d work for about 20 minutes and the three of them would appear all at once just when we were nodding off.  Even little kids know the Sun sets at its own pace, not ours.

A Sunset is not the end of days, it’s the end of one and the beginning of another.  Yes, the sun rises and the sun sets everyday and it will do so forever.  But, you don’t have an infinite number of Sunsets allotted to you, so don’t waste them.  With that in mind take the time each day at Sunset to reflect at least for a minute (Facebook, emails, and Instagram can wait) on how your life is going today and how you are going to change it tomorrow for the people you care about.  If you do that everyday, then you’ll be appreciate the world around you even if someone closes the blinds tight.  Slainte.

16 Comments

  1. I have a beautiful view of sunsets from our upstairs bedroom window. It’s not quite the view of sitting on the Naples beach, however, the sunset is always beautiful from all views.

    Before my favorite Aunt passed earlier this year, she would text me often asking me to check out the beautiful sunset.

    Thank you Pete for the Great Message and the reminder of how important it is to take time out to breathe and enjoy that moment.

    Btw, This is my favorite post. ❤️

    1. Shelley, sunsets are there everyday even if we don’t see them, but other people do. They are just as real as lighting a candle in your mind at the Grotto. Have a great Thanksgiving. Pete

  2. We often can’t see sunsets because of clouds, but I’ll pretend and make that five minute reflection. Great picture and wonderful posts !!

  3. Really great. I too love the sunsets and the feeling I have watching them ! Thank you for the reminder

      1. Sunsets are often admired at the end of a wonderful day, but they’re really always there, we just need to take the time to notice and enjoy the beauty, and be grateful! Stay well dear friend and Happy Thanksgiving 🦃
        Stay well!

  4. and – if you want to go thinking globally – your sunset is someone else’s sunrise. Just sayin’

  5. I love sunsets, especially here in Goodland, and if you make it back from boating before the no-see-ums, it’s really been a good day! Great post. ☘️

  6. I am always up for the sun rise of course you know that because you have traveled with me lol, however i haven’t in a while slowed down enough at the end of the day to appreciate the closing of the day will give it a shot tonight
    Thanks Pete

Thanks for reading and letting me know your thoughts!