My Mother's 1st Published Article for Grace Notes

Blessed By The Evening Sun
A Reflection by Karen Alessi


It was rather an unremarkable day. The skies were overcast with no promise of a clear sunset. Our moods seemed to reflect the cloudy skies above. Towards evening we decided to go for a drive, rather than our customary stroll and avoid the ever-increasing crowds coming into town. We hadn't planned on staying out too long anyway.

As we drove we noticed the sun making a very late appearance. We could see it bursting through the trees, more brilliantly than the last few evenings. We began to see more and more of it and thought we might stay out a little longer and try to catch the sunset down at the cove. We could feel our spirits lifting as we hurried to a secret place Bonnie had discovered last year. I knew of five good spots, but I'd never seen this one.

The sun was in its final descent. The silhouettes of three or four fishermen could be seen in their chosen places along the ocean side, the black rocks of the jetty behind them. The sky was already giving off its pink cotton-candy colors and the shades of the choppy ocean waves had changed to variations of cobalt blue.

As we got in closer to the water's edge, where the shore line curved and the jetty ended, we began to see tips of dolphin tails. Getting as close as we could to the rocks with three young children, we started to see whole families of dolphins, playing and jumping, sometimes two at a time, under the sky now flooded with shades of blue and pink. The water sparkled everywhere in the moments before night settles in.

Karin was at an age now, where she saw it all. She loved it and mentioned the magic she felt all around her. Ian only five, was searching for treasures among the seaweed. Faith was contented to find little seashells and present them as gifts, especially for me. We lingered that way for awhile. Squealing and "oohing" and "aahing" until the light dotting the few houses in the area started to come through the not quite darkness of night. The little night bugs were beginning to outnumber us. It was the last stage of dusk.

As we soaked in the colors of the sky, the dolphins jumping, the fishermen silhouetted in stillness, the children giggling in unprompted delight and the orange glow of lights coming on in the distance, we couldn't help but feel God's love for us. Everywhere we turned; we were bathed in it and warmed by it, in body and soul. It hugged us and made our spirits soar! Thank you God for all your blessings and the gift of this wonderful day.

We reluctantly headed back to the car, turning every few minutes to catch one last glance and promising to come back again...maybe tomorrow.