Snow Melt

Sunset on the last day of the Year

Istijlál (Majesty), 19 ‘Alá (Loftiness), 164B.E. – Thursday, March 20, 2008 about 5:15 PM PDT

As the sun sets slowly in the west another year comes to an end. Sunset marks the last of 164 B.E. and the first of 165 B.E. Living according to a solar day can be interesting. I'm not sure now why I began the process of living by a solar day or any other type of day. When I became a Baha'i dating my journals with the date of the calendar made it easier for me to remember when the Nineteen Day Feast occurred. However, I'm not sure that is the reason I began the process of living by a solar day.

When I was growing up, I liked staying up all night. I still like staying up all night and sleeping all day, but that isn't possible. The world doesn't live by my schedule or even my preferred schedule. I have to get out during the day and do business. The bank closes at 5:00 PM most week days. So I have to do banking during the day. The full service gas station I occasionally go to closes about 7:00 PM, so if I go there I have to go during the day. That is the station which does my smog check and that part of it closes at 5:00 PM. However, I don't think this has anything to do with living by a solar day.

I like thinking of a day that ends with sunset, it seems more natural. Perhaps that why I like living by a day that begins and ends at sunset. A day is 24 hours long whether you count it from midnight to midnight or from sunset to sunset. The way person defines a day isn't as important as how the day is lived. However, sunset seems a good time to evaluate how the day was lived and how the next can be improved.

31. O SON OF BEING!
Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds.
(Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)