When it comes to photography, sunsets are irresistible to me . This one was on the Northern California coast near Redwood National Park.  It is actually hard to take a good picture of a sunset because you’re shooting right in to the bright sun, creating a sharp change in light from foreground to background.  I’ve taken many, but this is the only sunset pic worthy of making my gallery of inspiring places.

I think a good sunset is a signal to take a few minutes and reflect as well as look forward.  If you had a bad day, you can relax as the sun goes down and feel good knowing that tomorrow, everything starts fresh.  On the other hand, if you had a great day, it is a time to think about the good that came to you and plan to repeat it again tomorrow.  Either way, it is a time of closure repeated over and over again.  For some, it’s just the start as they leave their jobs behind and turn the darkness in to nightlife, excitement and energy.

If you think about it, sunsets are probably one of the biggest natural events taken for granted.  Everyone gets them.  They happen every day.  They are one of the few things in life guaranteed to us.  And yet, for most of us, they have to be truly spectacular in color for us to pay attention to them.  For something so common, it is so overlooked.  For something so overlooked, it brings us reflection, closure, peace, anticipation, hope and optimism, to name a few.  If you believe in the mantra that life is All About The Journey, then take some time to enjoy a good sunset.  I know I will.  After all, it is a big part of the journey. 

Next, maybe I’ll start working on that sunrise thing….but I’d have to get up early for that.  For now, I’ll stick with sunsets.