Sunrise, Sunset

You notice the beauty of the sky in the morning.  The colors draw your eye up, and curiosity keeps them there.  The tone of the day can be set in those moments.  Friendly fluffy clouds, dramatic dark clouds, or clear cloudless skies.  It's exciting to have a fresh start ahead.  

Then the whole day speeds by and we don't notice the sky again until the colors return.  The mystery is over at that point.  We know what kind of day we had.  We can enjoy the vibrant colors of the sun setting either in celebration that a difficult day is ending, or in contented reflection of a day well spent.  But without the colors and the dramatically lit clouds, was there much of a reason to look up?  

When our kids are babies we notice every little nuance in their behaviors, we have the honor of witnessing most of their milestones:  sitting, rolling over, eating solid foods, walking and talking.  As older children, they continue these daily advances but we only notice a fraction of them.  And at a certain point the milestones that they are achieving normally aren't meant for their parents eyes.  

Eventually the days wind down and colors return.  There is something intimate about sunset.  The lighting is soft and indirect, like candlelight.  A time for honesty and self-reflection, until the sun has gone completely away.