Short Stories From 10 Years Ago – November 6, 2004

Short Stories From 10 Years Ago – November 6, 2004

A Sublime Sunset

Short Stories From 10 Years Ago – November 6, 2004 – I was out with clients all day and returned home about four o’clock, armed with a couple of videos and a 649 lottery ticket with my favourite numbers firmly in play and an extra dollar in the pot for Encore.

I had a couple of client calls to return and a few E-mails to answer, so I sat down at my computer about a quarter after four. I looked out the window as I chatted on the phone and noticed a lovely, rosy glow in the western sky above the horizon, and thought how like the fall season, it would be dark by five o’clock. I returned to the tasks at hand and didn’t glance out the window again for another twenty minutes. When I did, an intake of breath, preceded a sharp gasp. I was transfixed.

The sky was aglow – absolutely magnificent. The soft rosy colour of moments ago had erupted into streaks of deep, radiant pink. The last of the sun’s light was reflecting off the clouds and the soft, wispy streaks were the colour of an exquisite cream pearl. The houses on the cross street at the end of the lane were already in total darkness, so the contrast between the black horizon and the brilliant clouds above was stunning. I actually felt my heart beat faster in my chest.

I turned the light off at my desk and sat there quietly. I wanted the glory of this sunset to last forever. It was God’s gift to me on this beautiful Saturday afternoon. All too quickly the colour started to fade. The deep pink gradually surrendered to the colour of a robust burgundy wine. It was then transformed to gray as the last wisps of pearl faded. Then darkness swallowed the light, claiming another day.

I watched the black sky and wondered if anyone else around the city had been sitting on a balcony, or driving westbound and had witnessed this glorious goodbye to November 6^th. Was anyone else feeling the way I was right now? Did anyone call a friend and say, “Go right now and look out the window?” Had any drivers pulled over to share the sun’s departure with a friend. I hoped the answer was yes. I felt so emotionally connected to the earth and to life that I didn’t want to move.

Life made sense in that moment and I didn’t want to surrender the feeling. But then the darkness became absolute and the sensation of connection was gone.

It’s now six-thirty and while the intensity of the moment has passed – the feeling of comfort in my mind has remained. A quiet sureness that I am part of the divine experience of life. I have seen dozens of beautiful sunsets in the past. Some that were more intense in colour – others that encompassed more of the sky, but this one seemed private, a lovely message of love, faith and hope from the Universe. It reminded me of my childhood rainbow and that exquisite memory has remained with me all my life. I think this sunset will be the same.

It made me believe that in spite of the utter chaos that seems to be dominating the world today – that this turmoil will pass. There is a force far greater than the lust for power, weaponry, hatred, greed, fanaticism, vengeance, fear and cruelty. That energy is love and it was so evident in the sunset today that it touched a part of my heart that has felt cold for a very long time.

This is not romantic love, but the all-encompassing love that exists deep within all our souls. This Universal energy is there for the taking, if we simply pause to acknowledge its presence and then open our minds and hearts, to allow its light into or lives. My sunset was today’s little miracle in my life – what a beautiful blessing!