29000sunsets.com

As the sun sets on another day we move to old Robert Frost and our Road Not Taken. It has always been quite frustrating to me that the dern sun never sets in the same place. Sure, rising in the east and setting in the west is how we think it happens, but I go to the same place and a similar time to take a photo, only to find the opportunity is lost. (In the words of Stephen Kings “Pet Semetary” “No fair”.)

As I mused this rather fun shot among a series of almost 100 pictures I considered those roads we have and have not taken. For me it is rather uplifting in many ways. I could have not married, but I would not have the 3 wonderful children I now have. I could have stayed married, but I would not have known the wonderful happiness I have experienced . I could have not loved, but I would not know how to be loved. I could have taken the easy way in my life, but I would not feel like I lived the way I needed to each day. I could have….you could have.  (OK too much? Maybe)

There are always pivot points in our life, and as in the poem we sometimes choose an easy road. The road we know, the road that is well worn, the road we can predict and be comfortable in. I have found that choosing that road is often the way to less. As in the poem choosing the road Not Taken makes all the difference. The hard part is figuring out which road that is, and riding down it.

To put it another way, there is a movie called “Parenthood” that has a part towards the end that tells it all. It goes as follows:

Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.

Gil: Oh?

Grandma: Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!

Gil: What a great story.

Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.

We can all do the easy way, but lets have some fun, embrace the fear, move past it and live life.

Tomorrow is another day, and as the sun rises in the morning, it could be the beginning of a new chapter in our life.

 

As the sun sets on another day I consider the webs we weave, only because as I sat ready to take a picture of the sunset I found a series of intricate webs in the fence where I ended up tonight. It seems each night I am being guided somewhere to give me some type of clarity or to somehow shed some type of light on life. (A bit ominous huh?) 

Consider the web above and the story it tells. Once a strong web held with silk, it has lost purpose and sits in tatters. The work done to create this web was immense, however the end result now slowly fades away like the setting sun.

Like the web we all have some type of baggage in life. Whether it be from our past, our present, or a combination of such. We put a lot of work into building that “baggage” and build an intricate web. It is apparent (At least to me) that sometimes our fear and guilt overwhelm us as we review our web and eliminate our ability to see life clearly.

I have seen people rationalize their unhappiness, with bitter days behind and ahead while happiness looms only a moment away if they would let loose their fear and embrace forgiveness. After all, forgiveness starts with yourself and God, and works forward. In the end, we can be forgiven for almost anything, if we shed our guilt and move on. Sometimes the web we have woven needs to be swept away, and a new web created. (Of course this is just my opinion)

As the sun sets remember tomorrow is a new day with a promise of love and happiness, anything else is may be a waste of time.

 

It is always interesting when your life goes through changes. In a new movie “Goosebumps” it was stated by one of the lead characters that every story has a beginning, a middle, and a twist. As this is true with most days as well I find it can be applied in many areas.

As people, we have a morning, a mid day, and a sunset which is often a twist, whether hidden or alive with fiery color.  You never know what your (Or someone elses) twist may be. You may have a twist from something minimal that changes your life forever, or you may have people or situations create a need for a change. Perhaps the twist is that you survive, move on an begin to live a more enlightened life.

I have met many people who create their own twist at the end, fiery and alive with color, but often they do not see the twist nor realize the twist they have created or dealt with in their life. Some people overlook the gifts they have been given and hold on to a self created twist. This (In my opinion) is neither right nor wrong. It just is. 

I would much rather love, live and enjoy the moment, then ever live a lie, even for a noble cause. As the sun sets, it is always true to its course, and though the night sometimes tries to hide its beauty (and eventually wins), a true person can remember what is real, and enjoy the colors as they fade, with hope for a new day and a new understanding of where life should change.

The sun sets on another day.

In my opinion we are the sum of all we have been, all we have experienced, and something a little more. We find often that there are items in our lives we cannot as easily explain, that come from our far past, our family, and things we do not remember. As I drove back this sunset from my fathers house I considered how similar we are and were, though we did not see each other for most of my childhood. Our writing is similar, our thought process on life, similar, and a host of things happened in between that are almost uncanny.

Consider for a moment my father building a campaign to help people (Known as the Solomon Group) where people who can, help just because with no need for compensation, notoriety, or benefit. His work unknown to me 500 miles away I had similar pens made stating EGBAR (Everything’s gonna be all right) as a way to cheer people up, remind them they are special and to reach out and help, knowing there may never be any reward, or thought of reward again. Both achieved some level of success, but independently. It was not until recently I even knew his existed, and he never knew of mine.

We do the best we can, every day and should continue to do so and this is what my father and i did independently. So, as today’s sun sets and the cool breeze closes in on us all, take a moment and consider what you have done to help those who cannot help themselves, or just to make someone smile when they have no reason, laugh when they feel like crying, and live when they feel like dying. We all can be here for each other, prove it.

 

 

The sun sets on another day. As I sat watching this sunset in 53 degrees thinking about the past, the future, and all the things between I considered the truth. The truth is often overrated with so many people and like the sunset this night we often ride a line to survive, and not consider where we really should be on our lives. As in the movie “The Time Machine” we often do not consider enough of the “what if” and instead convince ourselves of untruths, exaggerations and lies?

Why? Well sometimes we do it just to survive but as often we do it so we can live with our decisions, no matter how poor the y may be. Years ago I worked with a center and found that it is so easy for a person to convince themselves that due to religion, love, or some type of history, that suffering is acceptable. Worse, for whatever reason so many people straddle the line of positive and negative that they really cannot see where one ends and the other begins. When will people understand that there is a finite amount of time we have on this planet, lets say 29000 sunsets worth of it, and we have to be true to ourselves.

I know in my heart I am not perfect, no one is (in my opinion) but I try to treat everyone with the respect they treat me with. Is that not how we all should be? 

By the way, this sunset compliments of lake Michigan on a particularly cold day, today.

As i walked to the beach on Thursday evening I met a young lady and her daughter and we walked for a while. I was in a hurry to get to the beach before sunset, but slowed my pace a little to enjoy the time. They were on vacation and enjoying Coronado Island as much as I we passed the time for a few blocks talking about how life should be.

I we split and I went to the beach to take a few photos (300 or so) I considered all the people in our lives that rise with us for a moment, only to pass at sunset, never to be seen again.

Many would be sad at this prospect but I feel strongly that if we made someone smile, we have succeeded in changing the world, if only a little. If they made me smile or showed me something new, than I am richer for that moment, and as we move towards 29000 that richness is far more important than any coin or idol.

As of today I could have seen 19491 sunsets, and on Thursday, thanks to Jessica and her daughter (I hope I remembered correctly) I had a good day. Smile everyone, the sun sets, but tomorrow brings new surprises and a new promise of passion for each of us.