My shift ended a few minutes ago, I was up at our rooftop, the sun already preparing to set and with my phone camera, I was capturing the grand sunset before me.
The skies lit up with the dazzling colors of pinks and oranges and indigo, in shades that made the skies look like cotton candy. A light breeze gently blows, and somehow, the mental fatigue from work slowly fades. At least, until the next day.
As I look around the surroundings, I see and hear so many things. A funny cloud formation that looks like a rabbit. A plane flying through the skies. Birds chirping in the distance. Our neighbors’ dogs barking, people cycling around the street, a church, and a cluster of houses in a nearby hill.
Seeing the skies painted in pretty colors has left me often in awe and in marvel. Making me feel there’s a fresh start to everything. With the chaotic world we live in now, having a bit of a breather even through something as simple as sunset-watching is a welcome respite.
Lost in the afternoon breeze and the quiet surroundings that is only broken by the sounds of nature and human activity down below, I am held captive by the slowly setting sun. Eyes glued intently on the horizon, face washed in orange gold, I watch as the heavens explode in the color of tangerines and pinks.
Drifting away from reality, I enter the realm of my own bubble where I think of endless scenarios and hopes for the future.
“Shut off the chaos from the outside world and focus on the calm that the sunset provides.” This is what I think of every time I am at the roof deck.
“What if I worked in another country?”
“It’d be nice if we have tree-lined bike paths so I can cycle my way whenever I want to and not worry about getting hit by speeding cars who don’t give a damn about others.”
“What if the world was a much better place?”
As I stared intently at the setting sun deep in my own musings, my thoughts linger to how astronomy became my favorite branch of science. Something that has always held my interest and curiosity ever since I was a kid. I would grab all encyclopedias with astronomy objects in it and gobble it all up. I listened intently at school when it was time for Science classes.
Fast forward to today, I would go on Facebook to watch videos relating to astronomy. I’d even search and read science publications on anything astronomy-related. I was in awe when the first real photo of a black hole was captured and unveiled to the whole world. If there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, it was my fascination with astronomy.
All these is a glimpse to my mind at sunset hours. Standing at the roof deck watching the sun set on the horizon, like I’m some anime character deep in thought.
As the last rays of the sun has set, twilight has come, with what little stars I can see twinkling in the night sky because of light pollution, and I am reminded that there’s a new tomorrow, another sunset to watch, and I am back to reality.
