Day 336: Chasing Sunsets
I have hardly ever been more enthralled with a moment and so filled with wonder because of it than during last nights sunset. It was a sight I will never forget and by far one of the most incredible scenes of color, light, and majesty that I have ever seen with my own two eyes. There's nothing quite like a sunset and no sunset is quite like the other.
The day was much like any other day, I had gotten up early to do a photoshoot for someone and spent the day editing photos. There was a headache building in the back of my mind and my mom and I left the house for a few errands. After we had completed these, I managed to twist her arm into getting some french fries before heading home and it was at this point we noticed a thick wall cloud hanging ominously in the sky.
It crept closer and got darker as I kept my eyes trained on the skies watching for any dramatic shift in the weather that could seem concerning. All the while frantically taking photos of a cloud that is hardly ever seen in the area where I live but common where I grew up. Many memories from my childhood come up with this cloud and reminded me of all the storms I had experienced as a little girl.
Then came the drive back and I am just completely fascinated by these ominous and rather dark clouds that gather over head from which fall some of the largest rain drops I have ever seen. In the west, the sun begins to set and light the rain almost on fire and everything glows with this gorgeous yellow light. It was so utterly beautiful and when we drove around a curve, I gasped at the sight of the sun being fully visible through the rain which created this most spectacular circle of light through the drizzling rain. Never before had I seen the sun set in such a spectacular way behind a thunderstorm.
Every second the light changed and seemed to continue to get more and more beautiful. When I didn't think it could get any better it certainly did and continued to outdo itself each and every second. When I thought the glowing ball of fire peeking through the clouds was incredible, I had so idea what was waiting for me further down the road.
The first time we stopped to try and get a better look at the sky resulted in the discovery of the most perfect rainbow shining through the clouds that had been behind us. The dark ominous wall cloud that had once been was beginning to turn into the most incredible canvas for an entire world of the most amazing colors.
My heart was pumping so far and my eyes . . . I could literally feel them glowing from wonder as I took in the most incredible sights. I was giddy with excitement and had to have my wonderful mom pull over so I could admire the sunset outside of the restrictions of the car. There couldn't have been a better person to have been with in this situation, my mom is always one to jump in on any adventure and follow the light in clouds and the beauty that is all around us.
And when I saw I have never seen something quite so beautiful, I truly truly mean it. I was stunned with the colors and the vast layout of beautiful clouds in every single direction you looked. There isn't a word in the dictionary to describe how incredible this sunset was, even the word breathtaking cannot begin to come close to the way I felt.
There are certain things in life that we must be willing to look for. Beauty in every situation is one of those things. I cannot tell you how many cars drove past where we had pulled over, completely oblivious to the glorious colors thriving above them. We can get so weighed down by the world that we forget to take a moment to appreciate that which is around us.
Not every sunset is as spectacular and not every moment is this beautiful, but there is something like this in every moment. If you really look, you'll be surprised at how much beauty you manage to find in life when your eyes are seeking it. When there is wonder tucked into the center of your irises, there is no lack of beauty in the world.
Sometimes all it takes is drastically crossing four lanes of traffic in order to pull over and take a photo of the sun because you've never seen it look that way. Sometimes it looks like a smile illuminating your face because you just can't hold it in any longer. It may not look like the beauty I found in this moment or the way I received it, but there is beauty out there waiting for someone . . . anyone to notice it.
Too many people walk through life with their head down and their arms pumping. Too often we live like this and when we do, we miss so much. Take a moment to slow down and really look at what's around you. As the expression goes, take time to smell the flowers, and in my case take the time time to look at the clouds.
When you begin to look for the beauty in life, you will be surprised at how much of it there is to find.
Until Next Time,
Lillian Merritt
