Dusk

        "Between day and night there is dusk. Have you ever thought about that "shifting time"? It isn't day and then suddenly night, there is an easing into a different time, a different energy, a different environment. Dusk is usually peaceful. There is not so much activity and the day is winding down. Also, there is not as much noise. It is a closure for the day. It is a good time to review, if there is time, to think over the day - its successes and its failures, the mistakes, and the gains made. Too often, not reviewing a day, while it is still fresh, can cause inner insight to miss something that might be useful in one's growth and learning. It is also good to allow the body to rest and to 'float' a bit, that is, to not push as hard as most do during the day.

        There is a quietness at dusk, a softening, a reverie. It is a gift to move smoothly from daytime to nighttime without sudden disruption. It is unfortunate that there are so many activities and so much mental use that it is hard for most people to take the time to stop between day and night. There will be those who say, and truthfully, I have too many responsibilities. They do not stop. Perhaps it is a business or a family. Still, if at all possible, one can take a few minutes and calm one's mind and body for it is usually needed!

        Taking the day's problems and rhythms into the night seldom allows for peaceful nights. There are those who must work day and night, but there can be a mental 'break', a time to stop for a few moments and leave one's self a little space with less activity. Perhaps you are surrounded by noise or cannot get away from your environment. Then close your eyes to a slow count of five and then slowly open them. This can usually be done because it appears you are thinking. Instead of trying to solve problems or reach conclusions, just let it be a five second rest period for your mind and body. If you do it correctly, you will sense a difference and you may be able to take more than one 'rest period'. Learn to work with the time you have. We do not all have time to sit and watch the sunsets, but we can give ourselves a gift by taking seconds of rest. At some point, again, we suggest a review be made. Trying to come to conclusions too quickly is not always a good idea, but looking at and thinking of alternative ways of behavior or actions that could have been taken will allow you to see a bigger picture of possibilities. As you look at these pictures, you will find that you can become a better painter of life."