Living in Marin County in the 80s, it was not uncommon for me to watch the sunset from the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais following a routine day of work in San Francisco.

Driving up the one road leading to the summit one late Spring evening, I came across a small parking area adjacent to a beautiful, windswept tree. Once parked, I trekked across a desolate grassy slope overlooking Stinson Beach.

Seeking solitude, I claimed my isolated observation post. Sitting alone in the tall grass, I proceeded to witness an advancing fog consuming the expansive Pacific. With mechanical precision, the sun moved deliberately lower towards this organic undulating carpet.

Glancing down, I watched the beach disappear. The fog began creeping incrementally up the mountainside. One by one, the silent white blanket consumed the trees below.

The only sounds were the breezes brought on by the Pacific. Looking forward, I would gauge with my fingers the distance the golden orb needed to touch the fog.

In time, measured moments--that could seem forever, the sun finally met the fog. Silent and yet so dramatic the sun, sky, and fog moved through their timeless cosmic dance. The wind seemed cooler, the sky slightly darker.

I noticed a deer far below, innocent to the surrounding civilization.
Looking up a few infinite moments later, I witnessed the tip of the silent orange orb disappear into a pearl whiteness.

So quiet, and yet there seemed to be a clash of thunder signifying the
alignment of sun, sky, earth, and me. I became a part of this silent
thunder. The bright orange tip struck me and moved me into another
space-time. What seemed an eternity lasted only a sliver of time. Alone, moved, and in awe I was suspended within my own existence. No longer an observer, I was now fully integrated into this cosmic dance.

The hands of people applauding shattered this loud silence. There were people, couples, and fellow participants hidden throughout the grassy hillside. The applause escalated into cheers and toasts. All were saluting the transition of the sun into nighttime.

All this time I thought I was alone, only to find I had been surrounded by like-minded spirits.

Such is Life!