The Sun Also Sets

It was an odd feeling yesterday as my mom picked me up from the airport. I had arrived in California from across the country not to eat Mexican food or enjoy the beach or to see friends at home, but to say goodbye. I cannot count the number of times I have visited this cozy and serene city of Davis with all of its bike trails and parks, the university and quaint restaurants, the co-op and all the trees. Davis, for all those years, was where Grandma lived... and then it was where my uncle Sam lived.

Upon arrival, I was greeted with a fantastic sunset that stretched across the open plain - reds, oranges, and yellows fading into night. It was as if someone else was actually saying goodbye. If I can be Indian (casinos, not computers) for a minute, I'd say the sunset signifies not just the end of the day, but also the spirits of all men who breathed their lasts breaths that day rising up to bid a final farewell. Can there be any other explanation (besides the whole scientific thing) as to why the most beautiful parts of the day are the beginning and the end? Sunrise: life begins anew, opportunity, salvation from the darkness... rebirth. Sunset: end of an era, the source of life makes its exit, signal of darkness and unknown... goodbye. Both are exquisite, both precious, and both are temporary... just like life.