Sunsets
- 1 minWhen I was growing up, my mom always loved to get in the car and ride around during sunset. I was ambivalent about it until I was a teenager. She called it her “favorite time of the day.”
We must have driven around during sunset a hundred times, and I’m not sure I ever asked her why she loved them so much. I remember her saying she thought it was the most beautiful time of the day. Sometimes, we would go to natural park reserves, the Ross Barnett Reservoir, or just ride around town. She would be playing a song she liked, maybe something by Elton John, Earth, Wind, and Fire, or the local soul/r&b radio station. She’d have the windows down (often during spring, summer, or early fall). She’d be singing along while smiling, and I’d be looking out the window, admiring the colors of the sky and sometimes not appreciating the moment as much as I should have.
She had an eye for beauty, but she could also appreciate the simplicities of life. I learned that from her—I’m still learning how to appreciate every moment, even the ones that seem mundane.
I think about her whenever I see a sunset, and it should be no surprise that I love them too.
Today’s sunset won’t be as memorable without her, but I’ll still take a moment to appreciate it. I’ll allow myself a moment to feel the air on my skin, listen to the sounds of the day winding down, and remember how lucky I am to have my life.
One day, the sun will set on me, too, and I hope I’ll have lived a life as full as my mom’s.
I love you and miss you dearly, Ma. Happy Birthday.
Shaurita D. Hutchins
Graduate Research Assistant