Sunset-City-Streets-1920x1200

 

 

If I time it just right…

I can end my run on a point of high altitude just as the sun begins to set and gives the sky one final kiss with a palette of colours that almost make this grown man cry. The silent power of a sunset has a tendency to make any situation picturesque, and growing up as a child of a concrete environment, I speak from personal experience on that one; but sometimes I have to wonder why nature has such a calming influence on my dysfunctional soul?

Unfortunately I wasn’t there at the beginning of existence, so I have no definitive proof whether God really did painstakingly create the world, with so much attention to detail that he (or she) had to rest on the seventh day. Or did time really start with one giant explosion so full of energy it created the very existence that ultimately places me here and allows me to write this blog post!

Personally, I have always felt the idea of one big explosion was a little juvenile? I mean the greatest minds in science come up with a theory that my 8 year old could have created!? It might be important to note that in the book of Genesis perhaps the term “day” was not necessarily the 24 hour time period that Jack Bauer had so much trouble with. But no matter what your personal philosophy, spiritual, scientific or religious belief you simply can’t deny the complex simplicity that is the beauty of nature.

I don’t stumble into this conversation with a deep scientific knowledge or background, but a significant proportion of scientific minds believe our third rock from the sun was formed under immense pressure, gravitational forces and extremely hot temperatures. No matter how we came into existence doesn’t it just blow your mind that from volcanic ash and swirling darkness somewhere along the chain under the right circumstances we get to witness a rainbow?

The fact that a star which is 150 million kilometres (or 93 million miles) away can make me sweat or that cold pocket of air over an ocean will determine whether I use an umbrella next week. I mean the power, wonder and supremacy of nature is so overwhelming I understand why Aztec, Norse, Egyptian, Native American and numerous other cultures had to create Gods to help make sense of it all.

All these random environmental elements and developments that, quite frankly, are beyond my personal passion or understanding come together to form a sunrise or a sunset, the northern lights, the grand canyon, the shimmering brilliance of the moon or a cluster of stars. What’s even more convenient is that you don’t necessarily have to travel to visit any of the world’s natural wonders because they are all around you!

Hate to say it, but Gene Kelly was wrong, I’ve never wanted to sing in the rain and I haven’t always been a fan of the natural environment especially when my hay fever decides to disrupt my summer, but you have to remember that I am a self-proclaimed, realistic optimist; I simply don’t have the energy to be happy all of the time because sometimes I am tired of being tired, but like you I am human therefore I want this blog to reflect all aspects of my multi-dimensional personality.

Nature always finds a way to make me feel better, it costs nothing to go for a walk in my local park, absorb the palette of the sunset or look up at the stars and all this beauty is provided by nature at no extra cost.

Until next time.

“The earth has music for those who listen.”

George Santayana