Sunsets

     My parents would take us to the shores of the Great Salt Lake to watch the sunset often when we were growing up.  It would be on a quiet summer night, just to get out of the house.  It didn't cost any money (except the gas to get out there) but it had so much value as a family outing.  We would stroll along the marina, holding hands and talking.  We would go to the water's edge and skip rocks.  We would throw bread at the seagulls and watch the swallows dive for bugs in mid air.  Cris and I would catch our parents kissing as they sat on the sand. 

     It was bonding time for all of us, but it served as more than just a trip to the beach for me.  Seeing my parents, still so in love and finding joy in the simple things--it gave me the foundation for my marriage.  As we would watch the sun sink and the sky turn orange, we would come together, my dad with his arms around all of us.....a family unit to face the world's challenges together.
    

      I had a chance over mother's day weekend to go see the sunset with my mom, just us girls.  It brought back so many memories, and reminded me how important it is to appreciate the beauties of this world. The sunset happens everyday, and life is full of other things that want our attention.  But, take the time to experience something extraordinary, and let the worries of the day slip away with the sun.