Parking Lot Sunsets

Why do the most beautiful sunsets always happen in parking lots?

Here’s one I recently saw. The sun literally lit up the entire sky. And I’ll make one correction, this was actually a sunrise, but the point still stands. Some of the best skies I’ve seen have been in the most random, mundane places.

And then I think about times I’ve been somewhere “supposed” to be beautiful. Hiking in Colorado, traveling somewhere new, expecting something incredible. And sometimes… it’s just normal. No dramatic sky, no crazy colors, just average.

The answer is pretty obvious. We spend most of our lives in ordinary places, so that’s where we actually witness things.

But I think there’s something deeper in that. When we go out searching for beauty, we bring expectations with us. We want the moment to be impressive. But when we’re in a parking lot, or walking to class, or just existing, there’s no expectation. So when something beautiful happens, it feels like a surprise.

It’s easy to forget how much of a gift it is just to experience things at all. To see a sky light up. To feel warmth. To breathe in the air around you and just be there for it.

I don’t think I’ll ever hate a parking lot sunset.




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