10,000 Sunsets
I’m currently in my 50s and if I’m lucky, I have about 10,000 sunsets remaining in my life. Even if I live to be 100, it would only add up to 16,000 sunsets. So, a year ago, I started watching the sunset every night. I grab sunglasses and go upstairs with my dog Bailey to watch the sunset. I’m very fortunate, because I can watch the sun set over the ocean from my sundeck. It’s only a peak view from about a mile away, but it’s still pretty awesome.
Searching for Meaning
I’m not sure where I first heard the concept of 10,000 Sunsets, but it stuck with me. There is an obscure book by David Nash and an obscure song by Hoyt Axton, but neither of these fully explain the origin of 10,000 Sunsets. There are also Tumblr and Facebook pages, but once again there are no clues to the creator of the concept. Alisa Yang posted this on a website AnotherYearInLA “10,000 Sunsets refers to the phrase – ten thousand – often used in Buddhism & Taosim to describe the indefinite multiplicity of all forms and beings.”
Maybe the idea of 10,000 Sunsets came from Eastern religion or from some anonymous philosopher. With all of the late nights I’ve spent at work or at night classes in college, I feel like I owe myself a couple of sunsets. It’s my favorite time to express gratitude and reflect on the passing of my day. Did I accomplish anything of meaning? Did I learn any valuable lesson? Did I do something kind or helpful for others? Did I enjoy my day to the fullest or did I squander it away?
The more I ponder the significance of sunsets, the more I realize it’s just symbolism for time passing in my life. It has me wondering how many more times I’m going to ride my motorcycle across the desert or paddle out into the swell on my surfboard. Will I still be able to climb those mountain peaks or am I going to have to take up golf? One thing is for certain, I’m starting look at my bucket list with a lot more immediacy. All the things I planned to do “One Day” are starting to get scheduled, because one day is finally here and the sunsets are rolling by quickly.
The Bottom Line
Time is continuous, while life is finite. You can always trade your time for money, but you can never buy your time back, once it’s gone. Enjoy and give meaning to the time passing in your life, before it disappears forever.
“Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer to your goal.”
– Elbert Hubbard
