Sunsets from Mom

Sunsets from Mom

Sunsets from Mom was created to honor a beautiful and unexpected tradition my mother began a few years ago. As phone calls slowly gave way to text messages and emojis did most of the talking, my young eighty-something-year-old mother bravely stepped into the modern world and took on the challenge of learning how to use a smartphone. Not long after, she started sending me photos of the sunset each evening… just because. Those pictures quietly changed something in me. They reminded me to pause, even briefly, and notice the beauty that surrounds us every single day. They reminded me that life moves fast—but sunsets don’t. And neither should we. Most importantly, they reminded me of the importance of family. Before long, I began sending her my own sunset photos in return. Without planning it, a new tradition was born. I found myself looking forward to each evening, each sky painted a little differently, each shared moment a small gift. Our conversations grew richer than ever. We talked about the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Indiana Fever, the weather, football, recipes, and the tiny, ordinary snippets of life that somehow mean the most. These sunsets became our bridge—simple, steady, and full of meaning. This book is a small collection of what we both noticed, appreciated, and shared. It is, above all, a gift to my mom. She—and my dad—have given me more than I could ever repay. My hope is that these pages express a fraction of my gratitude and love, and stand as a thank-you for all she has given me over the years. Especially the sunsets.