Nature is your best teacher, listen when it whispers

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I snapped this photo of this spectacular sunset ten years ago, and I’m still in awe of the beauty that surrounds me every day. Life can be stressful, overwhelming, and fast-paced, but if we pause now and then and really look around us, we might just be reminded how small our daily trials can seem when placed inside the bigger picture.

And this particular “big picture” happened to be stunning.

The sky was filled with colors you’d never imagine could actually be painted across the sky. I remember this sunset well. My friend and I were sitting on her deck, overlooking Salt Pond, taking in the last moments of the season. We watched as the sky slowly changed from soft yellow and orange hues to deep purples and pinks, covering every inch of the sky with what looked like painted strokes of color. We were completely enveloped in its beauty.

We were smart enough to realize the splendor of what we were witnessing, and we appreciated every minute of the show.

Because our conversation that evening had been anything but light.

We had been talking about some heavy stuff, the anniversary of 9/11, the death of her son-in-law overseas, the struggles her daughter was facing as a young widow with two small children, and my own fears as my son was still at war. We talked about the way war and loss had taken their toll on both of our families and how 9/11 had clearly been the beginning.

Heavy stuff, for sure.

But I do believe that nature is one of our best teachers, and it’s up to us to listen when it whispers.

That sunset felt like a reminder that there is something bigger than our worries, our fears, and even our grief. There is beauty that somehow finds a way to force its way through even the ugliest of days. Sometimes, all we need to do is stop long enough to notice it.

Ten years later, I can look back at that evening with a very different perspective. My son made it home safe and sound. My friend’s daughter learned to navigate a world she never expected to face and continues to honor her fallen husband through a charity she created in his memory. Their boys have welcomed a new daddy into their lives while still honoring the daddy they will always carry in their hearts.

And the world continues to turn.

Maybe that’s the lesson hidden in that sunset. Life can break our hearts, change our plans, and leave us wondering how we’ll ever find our way forward. But somehow, through it all, the sun still sets, the sky still puts on a show, and beauty continues to find us.

Sometimes we just need to stop, look up, and remember that we are part of something much bigger than whatever is weighing on us today.

And ten years later, I’m still grateful that we stopped long enough to watch the sky remind us.

“Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”
— Mary Oliver