sunsets

Do you notice when the sun sets?

I love sunsets.....how original, I know.

There is just....something...about taking a few minutes to pause at the day's end to watch the sun slip away silently until morning.

As soon as I could drive, every now and then I'd hop in my old Jeep pick-up, AM radio blaring, and head up the road to get a clear shot of the sinking sun behind the mountains. We lived on the plains....ish. Our house sat right where the Rocky Mountains rolled out into flatness, kind of in the in-between--waves of fields dotted with cows, rocky buttes, and a river winding through it all.

I'd park my Jeep on the side of the road (praying it would start back up...it was a beast), and watch the sun dip behind the mountains. I never went with a purpose, I just liked getting up high, a view in all directions, and watching that big Montana sky wind down from it's day.

That teenage girl with the crazy hair was on to something....and I wish I could go back in time and thank her for the insight (and maybe give her a few tips about life....and hair).
Days are busy. Life is crazy....and seems to get more and more chaotic the older we get.
Time moves too quickly.
Do we pause enough to take it all in?

Sunday afternoon we jumped in the car to head out for a drive. The wind was whipping and the sky was threatening snow--but we wanted to hit one of our favorite roads that will soon be closed for winter. We had no intention of doing anything more than look out the windows--the kids were in pajamas with snow boots slipped over bare feet.

But as we drove out of the trees into a high clearing, the sky began to glow. The day had been grey....it mirrored my mood--and I had not expected that the sun would break through the clouds last minute and give us a show. We parked the car and headed UP. Straight up onto the highest point we could get to with little time to spare--through new snow and frozen grass, the wind biting at our noses.

I gasped (partially from the wind), but mostly from the view. Clouds in every size, shape, and texture spanned out for miles--we were on top of the world. We watched as the whole earth lit up--pink! then orange! purple! Lastly a bright silver in the sky--the mountains on fire as the sun shouted out one last good bye. 

My photos don't do it justice. They are a bit....blah.
But he FEELING that was there was something that you just can't capture in a photograph.
My favorite three people under a glowing sky....the best.
I paused and watched the sun melt away--time seemed to slow.
I felt.....everything. 
Life is good.
I've got this.
My soul was filled--in just a few minutes time.
Just from pausing for a moment and taking it all in.
All from watching the sun say goodnight. 

So I'll ask you again.....
Do you notice when the sun sets?
Should you?