While going over some of my photographs for posting I came across this winter sunset. It was backlit and for the most part gloomy but in the gloom I was caught up and fascinated by the fading light of the South African sky.
All of us at one point in our life will face the fading light of the winter sunset of our existence. When I look at this underexposed foreground and the sun resting and glowing gently on the horizon, I am reminded of the impermanence of our lives and how each day moves us closer to our sunset. Now while this may seem morbid to some, I see it as motivational, let me explain...
When we wake up in the morning, we do so with an expectation of tasks to be completed for the day. What those tasks are, only each of us could answer for ourselves. Whether the noble housewife is to do her chores to turn a house into a home or an executive in a conglomerate we all have our planned tasks for the day.
The diversity is endless, yet we all have one thing in common, we have 24 hours in a day in which to complete our tasks. Similarly we have limited time in life to complete our tasks, both those we need to and those we want to. Is it then not important to take calculated risks and err on the side of enjoyment rather than caution?
In our slightly arrogant way of thinking, we assume that we have full use of the 24 hours in our day and that our eternal sunset will not be midday as so many unfortunate souls before us.
Although our sunsets, in our minds, promise to be many and lead us slowly to our final one, our sunsets are also unpredictable. It was there that my mind wandered to the inevitability of that final sunset, the mysterious one that hides in the future like a cat waiting to pounce on her prey. I wondered how we would live today if we had the knowledge that today's sunset was final one?
Would we frantically attempt to fit all our lists into this day or would we resign ourselves to the unknown hereafter?
Whilst the answers will undoubtedly be numerous and various, this is my question to the invincible living.
How would you spend the rest of your day if you found out that today was your last sunset?