I checked online to find the time that golden orb was due to disappear from the sky and I went in search of it.
7:49 p.m. Burkburnett, Texas time and it looked like this.
Doing so tonight here on the plains of northern Texas reminded me of how I used to do it back home in south-central Kansas. From the vantage point of my old house back on 14th Street in Hutchinson, I wasn't able to see much of the sunset. There was just too much that stood in the way of my viewing it. For a really good sunset picture, I would often times drive up to the top of Rayl's Hill out on East 4th Street near the beautiful city cemetery that sits atop it. From there the view of the sun sinking into the western horizon was always magnificent and beautiful. I could witness it every night from that vantage point and never grow tired of it.
Ever.
Back when Mike and I still lived in Montrose, it was easy to see the day's end come about from our home that set atop a little hill just outside the city limits. Night after night, I would head outdoors with my camera in hand and just start taking picture after picture as I watched day turn into darkness. I never grew tired of it either. Pictures like the one shown below fill the pages of my camera's memory.
I always loved the view between the old Cottonwood trees in our front yard. In the background is the Uncompahgre Range looking due west from our home on Locust Road.
Although I love being back on the Great Plains, I have missed not being able to just look out my window and see the exact moment that the sun disappeared leaving behind the last vestiges of the day's light. It was something that I took for granted during the two years that I lived in southwestern Colorado. We live in town now and too many houses lie between us and the open prairie where picture perfect sunsets can be found. I have been yearning to see it once again and so tonight I decided that there was no better time to find the evening's sunset than right now on this good day.
I'm not sure what it is about sunrises and the accompanying sunsets that I am drawn to, now in my older years than seemingly ever before in my nearly 60-year old life. There is something about them, something that reminds me of the brevity of the day and the brevity of life as well. They remain a sweet remembrance of the blessing of being alive yet one more day.
Somewhere out there today was another person's very last day on earth. They shall no longer see the sunrise or set from this vantage point in time yet, I was blessed.
I might have had to chase after it and perhaps it was not the most spectacular one that I have ever witnessed but at least for one more night, it was mine to see. The true beauty of the sunset may lie in that very fact.
In the very least of things, I do so give thanks.
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