Sunset Time Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

The photo is taken from the same POV as Mountain Sheep Bridge Sunrise, except it is sunset on the previous day.

This is sunset time for my parents. My Dad was 91 on March 2. My Mom’s 91st birthday will occur July 4. My Dad calls her his “firecracker.” My parents have learned to manage their sunset time gracefully. While they have always taken in anyone who needed a place to stay, they have accepted being the receivers rather than the givers with graceful gratitude; although it was not an easy transition. They took care of both of their own mothers at home; in addition, my father’s sister lived with them when she was dying. Other welcomed guests included three small girls whose mother had died, a woman with Parkinson’s, student workers, and a chaplain. Many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren have lived with them for varying periods of time; including my own son. He credits my father with giving him a good work ethic. At church, any stranger was invited home for lunch. I remember two women, whose car had broken down, spent the weekend. A cousin whose father was in Africa during WW II, thought my father was her father.

I grew up knowing my parents loved each other and they were a team of true equals. Growing up, I honestly never heard my parents disagree. Now, they both have Alzheimer’s. They often can't remember a discussion that occurred moments ago; yet their love for each other seems only to grow stronger. They hold hands, giggle and play bumper cars with their walkers. Recently each was sequentially hospitalized with respiratory distress. When I would take my Dad to visit my Mom, he would wheel his chair as close as he could get, put both arms around her so he could rub her back while she would lay her head on his shoulder and smile with pleasure. When she came home, my Dad charmed strange caregivers with his comment, “I’m so glad to have my sweetheart by my side. “

As I watch them drift away, I remind myself that I’ve been fortunate to be a part of that love for so long. My husband’s parents were both dead when he was 13. Our goal is that they should feel as safe and comfortable as possible and I am fortunate to be a part of team with my sisters to accomplish this. I am so grateful to be raised with such love and to be able to give something back to them. Their playful love for each other makes being around them a pleasure. The most difficult thing is to imagine one without the other; now there is an underlying sadness in my father’s loving glances. He always believed he would go first and now it seems my Mom is fading faster than he.

When I was first on TE and hadn’t read the TOS carefully, I posted a picture of them in a Valentine’s Day contest. While the picture was quickly gone, I’ve always wanted to share it with this community. It’s in the WS. Should they both survive until June, their marriage will have lasted for 69 joyful years. My Dad says the best decision he made in his life was to marry my mother. A caregiver commented that Dad had “found the right one.” I commented that both partners have to be willing to work on a relationship. My dad disagreed, “It has NEVER been work, it has always been a joy,”

robertosalguero, dhurjati, edytungkal, avishek_khan, portmanndominic, rbeckerb, scobert, feather, jean11-3, nicol_g, gneufeld, pboehringer, turkamerikali, lestans, Merline, xuaxo, gunbud, avene, kajspice, Henryk_Bilor, zmey, josepmarin, jwmunro, danos, meltemi has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

robertosalguero (2763) 2008-03-13 20:16

Heartwarming story Pat. I understand what is like to have parents with Alzheimer as my own mother suffer from that ailment. I do agree with you dad about the joy of keeping a relationship long and healthy. I think your image is an awesome tribute to your parents but yet is sad because it shows how our lives eventually come to an end. Beautiful image and well composed. Thanks for sharing about your parents'lives and your own life Pat.

Roberto

ahmetgedikli (21805) 2008-03-13 23:27

Hi Pat,
Wonderful scenery and POV. Superb light and colours...
Best regards.
Have a nice day.
Ahmet

bakes888 (18129) 2008-03-13 23:35

Hi Pat. Great photo and wonderful sentiment. I love the colours and symmetry of this shot. Well captured and thanks for sharing.
All the best for your family.
Paul.

dhurjati (2827) 2008-03-13 23:49

Hi Pat,
Sorry to hear about your story pat!!We can pray that everything comes well for you.This is when taken in tandem with the Note gives me a sad feeling.You should post a Sunrise snap instead Pat. why Sunset?Let's be optimistic, but surely we can't deny the evry truth of life.Good tribute.
Greetings from India,
Dhurjati

edytungkal (4519) 2008-03-14 0:49

Hi Pat,
Really a lovely story from your perents life and both pictures are a great tribute for them. Thanks for sharing that and all the best for you and family.

daniel

vincz (19039) 2008-03-14 1:00

Beautiful shot at sunset with so deep reflections. I love the atmosphere, I love the colors. A great work.

MarianneS (14262) 2008-03-14 1:10

Dear Pat,
Great sunset.
But above all, I want to thank you for your note. A great homage to your parents and to what they did of their time on earth.
I am glad you decided to post their photo again, as a WS because I think this (their portrait and your note) teach us much more about the world, about humanity, than any wonderful sunset could be... except when you associate it to the sunset of life.
Thank you and take care.
Marianne

SoupDragon (652) 2008-03-14 1:12 [Comment]

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avishek_khan (422) 2008-03-14 1:34

Hi Pat,
Standing in this jet-set age, when people do not have time even to think what they are running for, your story certainly is a must-read for all of us. Contrary to the society of the west, here in India people normally stay with their parents. Your story quite unusually tells us the other side of your society.

About the snap, you have given all your feelings in your composition!

Regards
Avishek

delkoo (34194) 2008-03-14 2:58

hi patricia,
long time i didn't comment your photo, i like this view, nicely spotted and well executed, The end of life life are sometimes difficult and I felt sorry completely with you.

best regards
didier

John_F_Kennedy (31229) 2008-03-14 3:23

A festival of light you captured very well.
Best wishes,
Achim

portmanndominic (2388) 2008-03-14 5:24

hello Pat

this a nice sunset , with excellent colors ,the POV is very good with the reflects
a good idea , very intersting note
TFS
Best regards
Dominic

Gerrit (35593) 2008-03-14 5:29

Hi Patricia,
great mirrorshot in excellent colours. fantastic sunset
Regards, Gerrit

rbeckerb (167) 2008-03-14 8:03 [Comment]

Show Comment +

scobert (5333) 2008-03-14 8:22

Hi Pat,
You have been very blessed to have such loving parents. As you have stated before, their great love and respect for each other has survived in spite of the ravages of Alzheimer's disease. The old saying that love survives everything is true after all! Your beautiful sunset photograph is a wonderful testament to your parents loving nature and how it has been passed down for more that two generations. Excellent photo and outstanding notes!
Stan

[2] +

feather (49858) 2008-03-14 9:07

I came here direct from replying to your critique and am very moved by your note. You are indeed blessed to have witnessed such love in your life and it is sad that even if your parents read what you wrote they would forget it. However they have known you all your life and somewhere inside them they will know how you love and appreciate them.
It is a beautiful sunset you have used as a vehicle to be able to show the lovely picture you have had to put in the WS. Their love has also kept them young; who would guess their age!
I hope that the love and joy continues as long as it can.
Take care
Kath

[2] +

Paolo (40694) 2008-03-14 9:17

Hi Patrici, amazing sunset view, with fantastic colours and a large beautiful reflections.
good qualty and excellent composition, and a GREAT note about your wonderful parents!
thansk, ciao

izmirli (3055) 2008-03-14 12:12

merhaba dear pat
wonderful reflections and colours.wonderful silhouettes.well done.
best regards.
gürkan akçakır.

jean11-3 (2799) 2008-03-14 12:16

Hello Pat,
a fascinating note about your family which sits well beside this beautiful sunset.
The composition is perfect;the colours and reflection are awesome.
I like your father's words about his joy.Thanks for sharing.
Regards Jean.

gneufeld (15167) 2008-03-14 14:43

Hi Pat,
I like the very deep contrasts with the very red glow reaching critical image components. The lighter sky is a fitting reminder that the day is not yet done. Well seen and TFs. Gerald

pboehringer (770) 2008-03-14 19:00

Pat,
this is not just the essence of what the meaning of your parents are for you and your family but getting to know you personally it is also the essence of the person that I got to know through all your posts and the conversations that we had during our meeting at Mono Lake. I'm looking so forward to meet you again in June and who knows if it will work out in April.
Take care and a lot of respect of what you are doing and going trhough!
Peter

turkamerikali (4772) 2008-03-15 7:29

Hi Pat,
Great Sunset capture my friend.
I like how the trees are lined up ,silhouettes,colors,reflection,sharpnessfocus,sky,framing and note.
Well Done.TFS
Have a Nice Weekend,
CT of Indy

lestans (15448) 2008-03-15 8:02

Ciao dear Pat! what a moving note you wrote!! And thank you for sharing your parent's portrait, they are so lovely, so happy! And don't look as old as you tell us. They are also lucky to be together till now; my father (88) is here with us, my mother died 14 years ago and he is always angry and sad and we all become sad and tired near him.
Well, your words are better than your beautiful picture this time!

Ciao, a kiss from Lestans!!

Livia

xuaxo (5701) 2008-03-15 16:20

Olá Pat,
Thanks for the story of joy and love. An example for all of us who are still far from sunset time.
That's great that you posted also your loved ones' great picture in WS.
Peter says "Rules are to be followed, but also to be broken, otherwise nothing new is being created." So, I wish the picture is not removed this time.
For you and your parents I give the greetings that you usually give us: health, love and joy.
Or in Portuguese: saúde, amor e alegria.
Francisco

jmcl (13721) 2008-03-15 20:44

Hi Pat,

Beautiful palette .. like a deep red wine ..
The way the silhouettes lead us deep into this space is evocative ..
Know we are thinking of you and your family ..
May we all strive to create as much and joy as your parents have shared.

take care,

John

Merline (6574) 2008-03-16 3:33

Dear Pat,
a beautiful sunset and a wonderful note...very moving. And thank you also for that photograph of your parents...they look very good for that age, and one can feel the complicity...
My mum had Alzheimer so I can feel for you...however my parent's story is just the opposite of yours...no true love...and not a long time together. So, even if it sad to see them fade slowly, they and you have shared lots of love and that is something that does not abound...so yes, you are fortunate:-)

All the best...
Warmest regards
Michèle

MiguelP (14324) 2008-03-16 6:05

Well Patricia, I have read your all note and I found it so touching. Have you seen a film called "Away from her"? (Yes the one Julie Christie was nominated for an Oscar that finally won some woman under the latex). And with this photo, what can I add? Just what you use to say: Health, love and joy.

gunbud (27779) 2008-03-16 20:21

Hi Pat,
The beautiful image is a wonderful tribute to your loving parents who's careing lives burn as brilliantly as this beautiful sunset. The great sadness that you will feel upon their passings is a tax from heaven on all the love they have given you. This is the price of love and I'm sure you will also pass this tax to your love ones when your time comes. Your parents sound remarkable and I have sence you inherited their wounderful loving qualitites.
Warm Regards,
Tom

pablominto (40456) 2008-03-17 2:11

Hello Pat,
An amazing mood has been captured this late September day!
It is like the sky is on fire, enhanced in the reflection from the calm waters...
Good lines in this balanced composition, sharp fine silhouettes!
Greetings,
Pablo -

avene (10942) 2008-03-18 9:17

thank you, Pat, for the photo and the note, you have found the right words for this moving story to keep it simple, but very, very powerful, just like the photo that accompanies it. I've come to realise that true growing up comes with watching your parents age, and being able to accept it gracefully, as you say. you have been fortunate to feel the love of your parents, but they are fortunate to have a daughter like you who knows how much you have been given. like you, I've never heard my parents quarrel or fight. for me, they are the most beautiful, the most caring and loving parents one can hope for, and next year will be their 40th wedding anniversary.

I don't have much to say about the photo except that it's great, I like a lot the intense colours and how they contrast with the black silhouettes of the trees. excellent work.

once again, thanks for sharing.
with kind regards,
Kristine

Angshu (33561) 2008-03-21 1:41

I was moved by your note Pat, & reading your sentences, your words I could almost 'see' everything in front of my eyes. Your picture is a perfect tribute to them as they near the sunset of their lives & what a delightful WS you presented us, Their appearances defy their age, love has kept them younger at heart, but I guess the bodies doesn't understand that logic. You're fortunate Pat to have seen such love in front of your eyes...keep that as your treasure, it's more rare than you can actually think.
Best Regards
Angshu

angela926 (1882) 2008-03-21 19:35

Hello pat,
beautiful colors and nice silhouttes, very nice composition and pov.
Angela

Henryk_Bilor (20365) 2008-03-25 12:16

Hi Pat
It is nice to see such a sweet sunset and to read about your parents. Although I can`t even think about death... Something was mistaken while the world was created.
Regards

zmey (7244) 2008-03-27 8:55

hello pat,

i like this fiery composition with the strong blacks nicely balancing out the luminous fire in the sky and the reflections. beautiful.

my warm regards to your folks and let there be many more anniversaries for them to share.

cordially,
kristaps

josepmarin (33785) 2008-03-29 12:40

Hi Pat,
This scene of the sunset, with its silhouettes, its symmetrical reflections in the water and its colors of purple tones, has a fantastic graphical and aesthetic effect.
I like much, is a fantastic work and with a great beauty.
HLJ
Josep

jwmunro (6571) 2008-03-31 18:38

Hello Pat -

That is a touching story and reminds me of my mom. She passed in 2006 and at the end for about a month she did not know who I was or my wife. Then one day my wife and I had a nice long conversation with her and she was giving us advice on some work we were having done around the house and we were laughing like nothing was wrong. Crazy! Three days later she was gone.

This is a nice tribute to your parents. Excellent image, I think it tells the story.

Thank you for sharing.

John

danos (32228) 2008-04-10 6:21

Hello Pat,
very nice this extreme colours of the sunrise with the silhouettes of the trees to give in the scene a dreamily sensation.Greetings to your old parents,as i saw the in the complementary WS.

Regards,danos

isabela_sor (42038) 2008-04-25 14:45 [Comment]

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samrat_roy1 (683) 2008-04-26 1:08

hi pat
the reflection is perfect. the description is touchy. you have depicted the entire scenario very well. take care.
regards

Antoine-jlr (21) 2008-06-22 10:23 [Comment]

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sacimar (7375) 2008-07-17 17:20

Hi Pat,

great picture, I like the red tones, the reflection of the tree shadows on the water is awesome, good work!

Regards

Sergio

meltemi (9746) 2008-12-21 1:21

Hello Pat,
it was from a long time I'd like to write something on this image accompanied by one of the most moving comment I've found here on TE. The title is very much appropriate with the mood of the photo. Loved the placement of the elements of the composition and the innerlying message.I appreciated the old couple of your parents, clearly enjoying every single bit of their old life together.
All the best.
Stella

jmdias (19087) 2009-04-09 8:13

pat

wonderful view. I liked the sillouetes against the colorful light. nice framing too

hugs

jorge