in Arizona, there seems to be a general habit for Arizonians to brag about Arizona sunsets. "we have the best sunsets," they say. "better than anywhere, hands down." this is an indisputable fact to my Arizonian friends - and there's no way that they were going to hear some Utah girl who has seen very little of the world contest this fact. but, when i got back to Salt Lake and i was driving downtown along Wasatch Road on the east bench, and the city, mountains, and setting sun were before me, i had to disagree that the best sunsets are in Arizona. the sunsets in Salt Lake are incredible. how come i didn't know that with such surety before? how come i could not give concrete testimony of the beauty of Utah sunsets? why is this not a Utah claim, like green jello, ice cream, and Jericho Road are? i determined that it isn't because Utah has sub-par sunsets that no one claims "best sunsets in the world." i think it's because we aren't looking up as often as our friends down south. i think that any "best of" claims are made because people pay attention. Arizonians love their sun, and they love their sunsets. but, at any rate, i think this extends to the idea that those who are looking for the good will find it. what are we Utahns looking for in our great environment? why are our heads not turned upwards so that we can claim with confidence that we have the best sunsets?
i think there are many "best____ in the world" claims to be made. but it requires paying attention. it makes me wonder where my attention priorities are - what am i seeking and what am i finding, and where are my eyes looking? for, as i found, you can't make the claim that, "no, MY state has the best sunsets" if you never even bothered to look up.
4 comments:
after enjoying a number of sunsets this summer, i just have to at least bring my own state of Idaho into the debate. but, i'd lobby all day in behalf of Utah for the title of "best rainbows in the world." this impression was reinforced during my last trip to Utah when, driving southbound on I-15, the brightest and most full semi-circle of spectrum stretching from Murray to Draper caught my eye. even traveling at 70 mph in traffic, the urge was too great and i succumbed to snapping a few pics with my phone camera. seriously, it was neat.
This is an absolutely beautiful post and so true!
I personally think Utah sunsets are pretty great because, like you said, you can get up into the foothills of the mountains and look at the lights of the city coming on as the light from the sky goes off.
You speak truths! Especially about Jericho Road. :)
But seriously, I agree with you. I most recently learned a bit about this when I moved to a little town in Wisconsin (a town which awesomely has a road named Jericho, I might add) and experienced my first midwestern rain storm. The clouds here are straight from heaven and I can lose the world in them just as I lose myself in the cliffs of Provo or American Fork Canyons. Keep an eye on those Utah sunsets for me, however. I miss them dearly.
i don't know about sunsets, but regarding your previous post, the byu choirs version of homeward bound is perhaps my favorite choir piece of all time. that's all.
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