Blog Update 06/03/2012
When the Sun Sets
My eyes are watching, my ears are listening, my mind is open, and my spirit is free…
There has never been such a thing to compare with a sunset. Nothing is as simple yet complex. It says so little, but shouts out loud. It’s beautiful, relaxing, and peaceful while it’s vivid, exciting, and suspenseful. The end of the day light show draws the attention of every person who feels in this world.
My weekend was coming to a close. The last two days had been full or errands, car maintenance, and chores. I enjoy my days off work, but still find things to keep me occupied. This Sunday evening had been whispering to me for a long time.
I had been working on my car that afternoon. I was dirty and greasy and ready for a break. As I lay under the front bumper drilling a hole, Uncle Don tensely warns me to get up quickly and slowly.
Not knowing what he was talking about, I leaned my head out to look at him, when he says, “You’re lying on fire ant hills… HURRY!”
I scrambled around and wiggled my chest, shoulders and head from under the car. That’s a difficult thing to do when you’re also lifting as much of yourself off the ground without knowing where the ant hills are specifically. I made it up and ran to a hose. My uncle sprayed me off, shorts and shoes still on, to prevent a thousand possible bug bites all at once.
After I cleaned up and changed my clothes, Uncle Don told me of a time when he was 2 minutes from death caused by fire ants.
Shaking that off, and thanking the Lord for a disaster thwarted; I realized I was wearing my swimsuit. Done working for the day, no more errands, it was just me and the beach.
l love the drive out there. It takes me about 25 minutes to get to the island, work my way through tourist crowds, and find my spot on the beach that I like. Bradenton Beach has small dunes separating the residences and businesses from spilling onto the white, smooth sand. There are several long old piers that stretch into the ocean. Each one has been closed off due to collapsing sections. I usually find a pier I recognize then turn south to walk a half mile to another pier. As I stroll in the shallow tide with only my feet getting wet, I look at the sun still falling from the sky. Her raw power, huge size, and life saving capabilities seem merely a joke.
There’s a point the sun gets to; not low enough to touch the horizon, but not high enough to fight back the coming dark, when it seems like all it can do is smile at you. That’s God, sharing His love and comforting your soul. He knows the perfect time to send you some peace.
I made my way to a pier that looked inviting. I sat on the side where it begins to rise off the ground and start its westward outreach to the depths. My toes just barely touched the sand. Staring off in the distance, I found myself pulled away from the world. I felt invisible to the other beach goers; like a cloud looking down on earth when nobody is looking up.
The Wife
Some quick movement caught my eye. A tall man, in his thirties, was walking down the beach with his wife and young son in my direction. Most people use the piers as a place to turn around, but he abruptly turned and headed the other direction. His wife hadn’t noticed right away and had to jog to catch up with her husband. She walked close to him, but had to scurry along to keep pace. The husband obviously just wanted to get the walk over with.
A wave broke and pushed the shore line closer to her. She reached out for his hand to hold, but his mind was somewhere else and didn’t notice. I felt sad for her. She wanted to BE with her husband there, enjoy the moment, soak up the memory, but he was focused on work or events of the next day and wasn’t really there. Instead of falling behind or telling their son to stop running circles around them, she just watched her husband walk. Further up the beach, another wave pushed the shore closer to her and she took that opportunity to reach out again for his hand. Even though she was a step behind her husband, he reached back for her, took her hand and pulled her close. Their pace slowed, they smiled at each other, and slowly made their way out of sight.
I realized she wasn’t hurt or offended his mind wasn’t there before. She knew he needed time and her love had patience. When the timing was right, he’d BE right there with her. A good wife, sticking by her husband’s side, put a smile on my face.
The Couple
Some people almost make themselves out of place on a beach. I noticed a “husky” couple walking toward me. They wore casual office clothes and were busy talking to each other. They didn’t come to the beach to watch waves or stare at the sun, but escape the world they knew.
I wondered what they might be discussing. I guessed it was about work, how much they hated cubicles, or maybe finding more excuses to avoid yard work or doctor appointments. They seemed to like one another and get along, but I couldn’t help assume they carried a small amount of negativity with them. As they got closer and walked in front of me, I heard the woman complaining about her job then the man agreed he disliked his job as well. They chuckled a bit and kept walking.
Spending time with someone doesn’t obligate a positive conversation. Sometimes you need the person you’re closest to let you vent and show support. I’m not saying that’s all they do, but there’s no shame releasing some frustration in a healthy way. I wondered about them for a minute and figured by the time they reached the other end of the beach, they’d be talking about their favorite foods or movies and how much they love each other, which put a smile on my face.
The Youth
There were several people sitting on the beach close to me. I don’t want to confuse you and give you the assumption everyone walks the perfect white sands and forgets to sit.
A teenager was entertaining his younger sibling on the shore. He wore basketball shorts instead of a swim suit and had a pick in his hair. It’s interesting seeing what people choose to support by their appearance. He didn’t NEED to keep the pick in his afro; he WANTED to. He found a figure in his youth, who touched his heart, who he could relate to. We all seek out successful people that are like minded with us, that inspire courage, strength, and a reason to press on.
As we learn to show respect for those who mean a great deal to our lives, we tend to express that support outwardly; in this case, a hair pick stashed in an afro. I couldn’t help but smile.
The Living
Earlier that day, I got my hair cut. Seeing a big afro made me think back to it. Mike, the guy who cut my hair, had all kinds of tattoos and was in his late 50’s. As we began talking about tattoos and surfing, I learned Mike worked hard most of his life, but had never played hard. I’m uncertain of the details when all that changed, but when he was 49, he learned to play hard.
He flew to Costa Rica, hiked the mountains with locals, saw Metallica rock the stage, and discovered what living was all about.
I feel very fortunate to meet others like myself. Some may be much older, some have different ways of going about things, but we all have in common a passion to live. Once that mindset sets in, you can never go back to how things were. Mike was happy, truly happy inside. You can tell when someone HAS to be happy; their at work, they’re trying to cover something up, they’re making up for a loss. When you meet a genuine “happy” person, the joy that fills them and spills out is a beautiful thing. Mike made me smile, plus I had a bad-ass haircut.
The Third Wheel
As I sat on the pier, soaking up the mysteries of the moment, I watched three people walk onto the beach. A boy, maybe late teens, a girl about the same age right next to him, and a chubby awkward guy shuffling along behind them. I judged the boy and girl were interested in each other. They were talking and laughing while the out-of-place guy was following right behind them. The boy stopped near the water, let the girl walk on, and began talking with the third-wheel.
They all seemed to be friends, but the boy and chubby guy must have been good friends. I thought it was really cool that this boy would want to go to the beach with his crush, but bring his awkward friend along too. The third-wheel wasn’t out place, he was welcomed.
I sat there for several minutes watching the sun continue its fall toward the ocean. I thought about the people, their daily lives, and how we tend to think badly of others without knowing them. For some reason, being on the beach changes all of that. Everyone is happy for the most part, or at least enjoying this moment of life.
I looked back at the group of three and all my judgments and thoughts went out the window. The girl and awkward guy were holding hands! The boy was walking next to them, and now I could see he was their son. I had barely looked at their faces before, just saw people and put a story together in my head. The teenager was much younger than either one, but had the features of both. The “girl” and “awkward guy” were obviously happily together. I laughed at myself.
The Keepers
There she was, dipping a toe into the water. She was beautiful, attractive, and soft on the eyes. I stared in awe, couldn’t look away. I’m sure my mouth was hanging open, but no one would have noticed because they were all staring as well. Some were even taking pictures of her majestic perfection. As she slowly lowered herself into the water, she only looked more wonderful. I knew at that moment, this was God’s most amazing creation I had ever seen… the sun setting over the ocean.
A million colors stretch across the sky and dance on the waves. Clouds burst in pinks, oranges, purples and blues; the most delicious cotton candy you’ll ever see. It’s a difficult moment to do anything else but stare in amazement. If you’re smart, you’ll have a camera ready.
An old lady, and I mean old, was taking pictures. I pondered why she would. Maybe to share her experience with family, help her remember good times, or just to give her something to do. She took her time with each photo. Thought about how the sun appeared and soaked it all in. A man, mid-thirties, was also taking pictures. He looked like it was his job. He quickly set up the shots, changed lenses, even cameras. The whole time he paced and breathed heavily. I assume he was either way too excited or seriously stressed the sun was about to be tucked away.
All the while, the sun sank deeper under the horizon. At the last moment before it’s gone, you can see it wave goodbye then blow you a kiss. That may sound strange to you, but watch a cloudless sunset on the ocean; you’ll know exactly what I mean.
The photographers kept capturing the light changes, the brilliant colors and beauty of the day. Eventually the old lady and man stood side-by-side cheering each other on with their photography. They are the keepers of that moment. They are the ones blessed with vivid memories of how the world was in that exact point in time. They made me smile.
The Wanderer
The sun was gone and I had just enough light to walk back up the beach to find my car. I got up from the pier I had been sitting on and began walking along the shore line, letting the waves splash against my feet. I thought about the sun, the peace, the people walking around, and how important it is to thank God for these times.
I came across a large group of people still taking pictures of the tucked away sun, the waves and shore. I stopped to let them get natural shots, but they insisted I keep walking. As I made my way in front of them, they continued to take pictures. This time I was in them. Some random guy caught in their moment. Now I would forever be thought about in the same ways I thought about the people earlier. The good wife, the husky couple, the outspoken youth, the ones living in joy, the friendly family, the keepers of moments, and myself. I thought I was invisible, just an observer. I’m a wanderer, a vagabond, a sojourner and an exile. I am not of this world, I just share it. I played no part in anyone’s evening, until I was captured in their pictures.
It doesn’t matter who we are, where we are or why we’re here, we’re all in it together. We share the air, the land and the scenery. This world is full of peace and love and nobody gets to observe. We all have the chance to play a part and make a difference.
Reach out, like the light of the sun, touch someone’s heart, like the warmth of her rays, make someone’s day, like her good night kiss.
“Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never
cease to be righteous yourself.” My
Utmost for His Highest (My Best for His Glory)
I enjoy being deep in my thoughts all day. My mind races
when I’m with others or not and I take this opportunity to observe. I talk to
God all day, discuss situations; watch His hands be at work around me. He told
me exactly when my last chance was to end a relationship and if I missed that
chance one last time, I’d be blind and ignorant forever. He showed me someone’s
true colors, made me watch them wander far from who they were with Him to be whom
they wanted to be. He’s made me hear about lives fall apart when all the wrong
choices were made and how only He saves those that admit defeat. 
