Anna and I have a regular walk in the evening along a hilly terrain, most of it along the meandering irrigation canal. It is dusk when we get back after the walk. We therefore encounter the twilight period of each evening, when the fading sunlight falls on the hillside, giving an altogether different appearance to the vegetation. It is breathtaking and engaging.
The special twilight has three important features.
It lasts for a short time. Most of the special experiences of life are often short. A three years old child who enjoys his cone ice cream, said loudly, ‘it is over and can I have another one?’ to which his mother said, ‘wait for another occasion’. It is difficult to prolong or reproduce the special experiences. That is why they remain special. Each special experience ought to bring contentment rather than a longing for more of the same!
The second feature of this twilight period of the day is its in-betweenness. It is a time between the day and the dusk. Therefore it is a transitory and passing phase of time. Every time we watch this evening glory of nature, we are reminded of life itself- its richness and transitoriness. So we can live cherishing each day and all the experiences without drifting into any form of anxiety, because, we have, what has been given to us by God of all good gifts.
The third feature of the twilight is its special colour, unlike any part of the day. It is a gentle, visually pleasing and emotionally healing light that highlights the details of the foliage distinctly. The nature comes alive and draws close to us, when clothed by the twilight sun. It is most refreshing to behold.The special experiences are given to refresh us. It delights us so much that we can live devoid of anything special for a while.
A family who greeted us for Christmas wrote in the mail, ‘Every Christmas is different, unlike the previous one, because we have grown inwardly since then’. All experiences contribute to enrich our lives.
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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