Little puffs of cotton-ball like clouds floated through the sky. The still, glass-like waters of Lake Superior offered a surprisingly clear reflection of the brilliant colors that were beginning to appear in the sky as the sun went down.

As the sun sank lower and lower over the horizon, the colors became even more vibrant in the sky and the water. Blues, faint yellows and light pinks turned to deeper oranges, reds and purples.

The water began to darken as it reflected the rainbow of colors in the sky.

The lake’s surface remained still, save for the little motions of fish popping up in the shallows, flirting with the border between the water and the air.

A blue heron flew low over the beach, seemingly looking for a place to rest its large, weary wings.

The fuzzy little puffs of clouds had disappeared, replaced by longer, flatter clouds that took on a dark purple color.

A tiny sliver of a dark cloud seemed to split the glowing red-orange sun into two pieces, the top half of the sun appearing larger and wider than the bottom half.

The sun’s reflection in the lake created a fiery trail extending from the horizon to the waters lapping at the shore.

As the sun sank past the horizon, the fiery orange trail in the lake dispersed into a soft gold glow that gently met the dark blues and purples of the now rippling waters.

The evening, the moment, was perfect.

I had waited all day, all week, for this.

And when the time finally came, I rushed out to the beach at the first possible moment.

And it felt that all my wishes for the evening were fulfilled.

This beautiful sunset, the blue heron sighting, the waters around my ankles as I searched for stones, it all felt like it was just what I needed at the moment.

The difficulties of the past week, month and year seemed to be washed away by this peaceful evening on the beach.

The warm summer breeze off the lake, which holds the exact scent that it did when I was growing up, reminded me of all that is beautiful, eternal, unbreakable.

Spending time on this beach never fails to bring me comfort and perspective.

It’s one of those places that is etched into my heart, a spot that I’ve visited and loved for my entire life.

From building sandcastles, swimming and having picnics, to stargazing and beachcombing, this little beach holds so many of my fondest memories.

It’s amazing how one place can anchor you and remind you of all that’s good about the world.

And with all the uncertainty in the world right now, visiting a beloved spot in nature can be a healing experience.

Nature reminds us that change and fluctuation are inherent in our world, but it also illuminates what is eternal, unbreakable.

When we reflect on the natural world, we can remind ourselves of the bigger picture.

We can realize that our daily struggles will pass.

We can recognize that things can always change for the better.

We can realize that there’s so much we can do to help others, even when we feel powerless.

We can realize that we’re part of something beautiful, even when things are difficult.

We can recognize that there is more love in the world and our lives than we might see.

And when we take the time to look at ourselves and others with greater compassion, we can see all the gifts the world has to offer, even in uncertain times.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Cecilia Brown is city editor at The Mining Journal. She lives in Marquette and can be found hiking if the weather’s nice, or curled up with a book if not. Contact her at cbrown@miningjournal.net.