Chasing sunsets

We recently spent a week on a beautiful vacation. Each evening, we enjoyed going to a special spot and viewing the sunset. There’s something special about watching the sunset with your favorite people that makes it extra beautiful. We were blessed with gorgeous weather and relaxing days spent on the beach. There were long walks into town, ice cream, and lots of time spent with stunning views. The sunset each night was just the cherry on top of beautiful days.

Whenever we go on a trip, I think it’s normal as it’s winding down to feel a bit of a twinge of sadness as it ends. I’m so grateful for the time spent together and the memories made. I feel blessed to be able to share them with our children and family, but as it winds down, it makes you wish you could pause time. You could keep everything as it is right now. I wish the kids would stay this little for a while longer.

As the week came to a close, we packed up all of our things and headed back home. Even after a great trip that I’m sad to leave, I welcome being home in my own bed and seeing our dogs. I don’t need a vacation from my life. I enjoy our normal reality and home. Even so, I was still bummed the week was over.

Photo by Megan Rathz

I really struck me after we got home from our trip that my son was in the backyard playing and excitedly ran in the house and told all of us to get outside and check out the sky that night. He was so excited to see the sunset in our own yard.

It made me pause as I looked up in our backyard when I saw the sunset that night. It literally looked like what you would picture if God painted a watercolor in the sky.

Sometimes we go chasing sunsets in places where all we need to do is look up at the sky from our own backyard.

I was equally delighted with the fact that my son on his own made it a point to notice something I wasn’t even paying attention to. In fact, something that would have passed me right by without him pointing it out to me.

It made me remember that you don’t need to do extravagant things to make memories with your kids. You don’t have to spend a bunch of money for the time to be priceless. Sometimes all we need to do is open our eyes to beauty in our everyday lives.

Don’t go chasing sunsets. Don’t live your life for a vacation. Just look up at the sky from your own backyard.

Megan Rathz is a wife, mother, and teacher. She says everything she has ever learned in life came from her Master Gardener mother.