I used to chase sunsets. That was before COVID-19 happened and we were free to move around, go anywhere we pleased.
Some people like capturing sunsets near a body of water - the beach, the sea, a lake. I totally understand, it's more dramatic especially as dusk settles. There is something spectacular as you watch the sun slowly descending with its colors and hues changing. Then from the horizon, a burst of yellow and red that in minutes disappear and the view turns dark.
I love the sunsets there, too. But that's not always accessible for me, a city mouse. The closest to a body of water is Manila Bay, along Roxas Boulevard. That's an hour or so drive from where I am. I had that privilege years ago, when I used to work in that area, and lived there briefly.
So, I chase the sunset where I am. From the highway, as I drive towards it, to a park where there are trees that serve as the horizon, to the nearby university campus where there are open spaces providing unhampered view.
It seems like a foolish pursuit. But I enjoy it, sometimes crave it. There's just something comforting in this exercise that calms my spirit.
I can sit on the grass for an hour watching the sun move down, seemingly inch by inch. Or even crane my neck for minutes until it hurts as I follow its descent until it disappears behind a line of trees. It is a simple pleasure that fills me with joy.
Many people think all sunsets are the same. The blazing yellow orb slowly disappearing from sight, and then gone. But it is not the same. You have to more than look or see.
Sunsets are meant to be watched. You must let it captivate you. Enthrall you. Embrace you. Watching the sun set is always an experience for me. That is why it will always be different.
Yes, the sun can blind you, even when its rays are less harsh towards the end of the day. It's what happens when you stare at it, are transfixed by it, for even just minutes at a time.
But the peace it brings is inexplicable. A calm settles in my soul. There is a tinge of sadness when the spectacle is over. But the thought that it will happen again in the morrow soothes my spirit.
At the rate life happens, each day seems like a race. Chasing dreams, pursuing goals, meeting deadlines. Sunsets signal that day is ending, there is more to be done, but it need not be now. Tomorrow the sun shall rise again, a new day, another chance, more opportunities.
When the sun sets, it is telling us to rest. Take respite. Look back on our day. Be content or be challenged. But it asks for a pause.
The pandemic taught us to savor life, beyond jobs, money, and possessions. Or at least, it is trying to teach us what is most important. Humanity. Humility. Faithfulness. Gratitude.
It's like chasing sunsets. We can never truly capture it in our hands. We can only see it, experience it, treasure it in our memory. Next to the setting sun, we are but a speck in this universe. There is very little greatness in us. So we must keep the faith, do as much as we can to live life meaningfully, and then be grateful.
I have to get ready to chase my sunsets again.
