I watched the sunset from our balcony last night. The cicadas were making their bittersweet call, the wind was ruffling the tree tops with an affectionate hand, and the temperature held just the slightest hint of the coming cool of the night. It was too windy to have the water fountain going, but I could see the water below and all the reflections in it. I think I even saw a frog swimming happily around in the fountain – at least I hope it was happy. I was listening to the perfect playlist on Spotify: Chill Acoustic Instrumentals (highly recommend for this sort of sitting-outside-watching-the-sunset kind of activity). I’d been reading a page or two of Emily Dickinson poems and had the propitious experience of actually understanding several of them. I think my mind was fueled and charged by the music and atmosphere.
Somewhere down the street, a soccer game was starting and the national anthem began blaring through the loudspeakers. I paused my playlist and sang along. It doesn’t get much more Americana than that.
Our city council recently approved the building of several large apartment buildings across the street, where we now have the pleasure of looking out on a nice stand of trees. It is not a change that I welcome. I thought about how often we’ve seen the sun setting over those trees over the years – countless times. I will miss that lovely scene. The sun, of course, will still be setting – even the city council can do nothing about that. It will be the same sun, but a different sunset. And life will go on. It’s a good opportunity for me to get things in their proper perspective. “God’s in His heaven – all’s right with the world.”
Blazing in Gold and quenching in Purple
Leaping like Leopards to the Sky
Then at the feet of the old Horizon
Laying her spotted Face to die
Stooping as low as the Otter’s Window
Touching the Roof and tinting the Barn
Kissing her Bonnet to the Meadow
And the Juggler of the Day is gone.
Emily Dickinson
I’ll probably delete this when the Juggler of the Day has come back.
Lynniebeemuseoday 