When did you last watch the sun go down without doing anything else?
We catch sunsets in snatches. A glimpse through the kitchen window while the pasta boils, a pink sky in the rear-view mirror on the school run. Then it is gone.
This week, why not take 15 minutes for a little hygge moment and watch a sunset from start to finish? No photos, no rushing off. Just you and the sky slowly changing colour.
A cloudy sunset still counts.
Make it cosy
Check the sunset time, then get a few things ready:
- A spot facing west, a window, back step or nearby hill
- A warm jumper or coat, as it cools quickly once the sun drops
- A flask of tea or hot chocolate
- Something to sit on, a cushion, blanket or camping chair
- Your phone tucked away in a pocket
Your 15 minutes of golden hour
- Arrive a little early. Settle in ten minutes or so before the sun reaches the horizon.
- Get comfortable. Wrap up, pour your drink and let yourself be still.
- Watch the edge. See the sun slip lower and touch the land or the rooftops.
- Stay after it disappears. The best colours often arrive once the sun has gone.
- Let it fade. Wait until the sky turns soft and blue before you head in.
Slow it right down
There will be a pull to check your phone or think about tea. Let it pass. A sunset only moves at one speed, and it is a lovely speed to borrow for a while.
As you watch the sky, try to notice:
- How many colours you can spot, from gold to peach to lilac
- The way clouds catch the light from underneath
- Birds heading home and the sounds of evening starting
- The moment the air turns cooler on your face
Finish gently
Head inside slowly and switch on a lamp rather than the big light, so the calm comes in with you. Time spent outdoors like this is one of the simple ways to feel the benefits of being in nature.
You could also:
- Write down three colours you saw before you forget them
- Take the children and let them name the colours
- Try a sunrise one weekend morning
- Find a new sunset spot each season
Never look straight at the sun, and if you are out somewhere remote, take a torch for the walk back in the dusk.
Your 15-minute challenge
This evening, give yourself 15 minutes.
Check the time. Wrap up warm. Face the west.
Then watch until the very last of the colour has gone.
It does not have to be a beach. It does not have to be a perfect sky.
It just has to be tonight.
Let the day end beautifully, at its own pace.
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