Day 46 - Serenity

Day 46 - This picture was from an evening I noticed another pretty sunset. I had to stop and take a few shots of it.  When the sky turns these beautiful colors it is a shame to not take the time to really appreciate it.  I can remember a time not too long ago that I wouldn't have even given it a second look.  I may have glanced in its direction without really noticing it.  But today it actually caused me to stop my van and really look at it.

The photo above is what I see as serenity.  It shows the beauty in simplicity.  An evening sky, a tree and an empty field turn into something beautiful when nature takes control.  I know I shoot a lot of sunrises and a lot of sunsets.  I just seem to feel close to those that I miss when I look at the beauty in the sky.  As a kid I always loved lying on the green grass and watching the clouds form.  We would see a dog or a horse, sometimes we would lay there for hours.  We didn't have a worry in the world then.  The problems we did have were so minor.  As I stopped my van to look take this picture I just sat there and enjoyed it for a few minutes.  In those few minutes it was easy to stop thinking about any issues of the day and just enjoy the view.

In the real world we live in there is so much day to day stress and sadness.  We learn to block it out and go through the motions to survive without feeling too much of the pain.  Watching as one family and many friends deal with the loss of a young mother to cancer and another family buries a new baby is sad beyond belief.  On the other hand, the happy memories those same people have of their loved ones are like the beauty in this sunset.  Isn't it incredible how a happy memory can bring a person from despair to a point of serenity.  I know that remembering something happy about one of my loved ones can bring me to a place where I can't help but smile.  When I remember a funny joke that Dad had said or a genuine hug from Mom I sometimes still feel their presence as if I haven't lost them at all for a moment or two.

As the spring and summer months arrive, I wish everyone has moments of serenity and when those moments arrive that we all take the time to stop life for a few moments and really, really notice them.