Sometimes all we need is to bask in the glow of the sun.
After a particular long winter in eastern Kentucky of cold and wet and gray days, these early, sunny, spring days give us a renewed vigor and hope.
Pharaoh Akhenaton, who hailed from the land of the Nile and died about 1335 BC, appreciated the healing power of the sun. Though the Nile winters probably weren’t as long as the ones along the Licking, he thought enough about Ol’ Sol to try to make him the only god in Egypt (other than himself, of course). However since the good pharaoh noticed that no one was oiling up in his presence, he probably sensed that the sun may have been a little more important than himself. He is credited to bringing monotheistic worshiping to Egypt, quite radical thinking in those days.
After he expired he was deemed a little goofy by the religious community and polytheism was restored. In a sense, Akhenaton got the equation right (wanting to serve one god), he just solved for the wrong variable.
To continue this walk down memory lane, Akhenaton’s wife was Nefertiti. And who doesn’t like to say “Nefertiti”? They were the proud parents of Steve Martin’s alter ego, King Tut.
While playing with my new macro lens, I took this picture of a Pieris Japonica bush in our landscaping. I took the photo a few days ago. I like how the little bloom at the end of the strand has found the sunlight. He seems happier and more well-adjusted than the other pasty, nerdy-looking blooms with the Cheetos-stained petals.
I thought of how we all need the sun and how God placed the sun at exactly the right distance for us. Though the sun has been given a bum rap with all of the UV scare, it actually is a necessary part of our good health. We need certain amounts of sunlight to aid in digestion, skin problems, and sleep. We need its anti-bacterial defenses. This is only a small list of benefits of the proper amount of sun-worshiping.
We probably don’t need to go to the extreme of the West Liberty Kiwanis Swimming Pool lifeguards of the 1970’s and oil up with Hawaiian Tropic red label for maximum tanning (affectionately known as “fry sauce”). We just need to follow the advice of this little Pieris Japonica bloom and seek the healing warmth of the sun when we can.
So get out and bask in the sunlight. The religious leaders probably won’t put you in stocks on the town square. Although, if the sun is shining, you probably would feel better.
If you like this photo, you can see more of my pictures here.
Pictures From the Side of the Road 