My god is the Sun. It feels a little cheesy to write that because it’s the name of a song but it’s true so I’m sticking with it. I totally understand why people have worshipped the Sun as a god. The Sun provides us with light and warmth making life possible. Even on cloudy days, the Sun is there behind the clouds still brightening the darkness. And if that isn’t enough, the Sun is the most reliable thing in our lives. It is always there, returning to us every morning to start a brand new day.
That’s the part that gets me. The never ending series of new beginnings. People say that America is the land of second chances, whatever that means, but every day is a new chance. I’ve already had thousands of them. Whether you are there to bear witness or not, the Sun will rise.
The constant repetition of new days has two sides. The repetition can feel monotonous. Whatever problems, anxieties, and miseries we ended the previous day with will still be there to be endured in the morning. Each sunrise brings a new day but not necessarily a clean slate. But another chance isn’t the same thing as a clean slate. A clean slate is boring and too easy. Another chance gives us something to sink our teeth into and the opportunity to grow.
Each new day also brings more beauty, more joy, laughs, and smiles. This life is magical. The fact that we exist at all is difficult to fathom. No amount of science can explain away the magic of our existence. Knowing that the Earth is rotating while revolving around the Sun doesn’t make the sunrise less magical. It’s still powerful to experience.
Even when the sunrise brings a new day that still contains the anxiety, grief, or problems of the day before I still find myself in awe. Our existence is awe-inspiring. Our minds’ constant onslaught of thoughts and worries distracts us and aims our attention at the noise. Beyond and underneath the noise, the unbelievableness and awesomeness of our existence is always there. Witnessing the sunrise is tuning into the awe and the magic. It can not be denied in that moment. Pause to be alive. Pause to notice your aliveness and recognize the magic of it.