The Magic of Sunsets

“I have come to the hill to see the sun go down, to recover sanity, and to put myself again in relation with nature," Henry David Thoreau wrote

Antigua, January 2024, by Alexandra Moreo

Hey friends,

I just wrote about the magic of sunsets for Sarasota Magazine (a wonderful publication in Florida), and I wanted to share with you some of the piece here, along with a few additional thoughts. While you’re reading, I pose one question: In a world of screens, consumerism, and busyness, what do sunsets mean to you?

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Days end with a spectacle that transcends mere moments. They often conclude with an array of colors across the canvas of the sky. In Sarasota, the sun falls toward the horizon, casting a glow upon the Gulf of Mexico. Then, time seems to stand still, inviting all to pause, appreciate, and witness nature's magnificence. "There's always a sunrise and always a sunset and it's up to you to choose to be there for it,” the writer

Cheryl Strayed

wrote in her memoir, Wild. “Put yourself in the way of beauty.”

South Carolina, April 2021, by Alexandra Moreo

A sunset carries special meaning. Sunsets remind me of life's inherent beauty and harmony in nature's rhythms. In a screen-dominated world, they provide an opportunity to slow down while helping cultivate a mindset of serenity and contentment, rather than busyness and speed. They also bring me back to my childhood, when my dad and I bonded over quiet moments together, watching the sunset in New Jersey. There’s something about fleeting sunsets that leave an indelible mark on our souls, inspiring awe and immense gratitude for the world.

Henry David Thoreau wrote, “I have come to the hill to see the sun go down, to recover sanity, and to put myself again in relation with nature.”

Seneca Falls, N.Y., October 2021, by Alexandra Moreo

Sometimes, I’m delighted to see other people (of all ages and walks of life) taking in the sunset with me. Occassionally, I’ve moved to tears by a sunset. Other times, I notice how many people don’t carve out time to watch the sunset, as if another day — another miracle on Earth — weren’t worth cherishing. I notice some people glued to their phones or binging shows on Netflix at dusk rather than giving a little attention to the time in the evening when the sun disappears and daylight fades away. In my view, there’s no greater show on Earth.

As the great poet Mary Oliver wrote in “The Sun” (abbreviated below) —

Have you ever seen

anything

in your life

more wonderful

than the way the sun,

every evening,

relaxed and easy,

floats toward the horizon

or have you too

gone crazy

for power,

for things?

It’s also a reminder of what Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.”

My ideal evening? Peace and quiet, taking in another sunset amid nature, well aware that the moment will never come again. For by being present for the sunset, we can acknowledge the cyclical nature of life, where endings pave the way for new beginnings. Just as the sun dips below the horizon, we may trust that its warmth will eventually return, ushering in a new day of possibility.

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Parting, related thoughts from author Anne Lamott:

“The greatest gift that people can accept at any age is that we’re on borrowed time and they don’t want to squander it on stupid stuff. I’ve been around so many people that are dying and they are not talking about their accomplishments ... they’re talking about the love that they experienced, they’re talking about the most beautiful memories — and those were about love and the natural world and those moments of awe in their life.”

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Celebrate your gifts,

Matthew