Watch one yourself!
Sunsets, the evening analog of sunrises (as referred to in an earlier blog post, no pun intended), are often argued to be more colorful than sunrises, and while there is some Internet consensus on this (including, yes, Wikipedia), in my observation, they can very likely be a draw. Sometimes one could trump the other in boldness, and vice versa. Yet both these borders between day and night are all beautiful in one way or another, no matter their brilliance of hue. Every scene as such, whether entering or leaving a day, has a distinct beauty in either case. And as this is autumn (which we soon leave), the colorful leaves and other fall paraphernalia can add to the beauty, making a great combination (just as discussed in the post on sunrise).
Psychologically, however, there is a difference. Obviously, sunrise is a startup, sunset is a shutdown. They often are applied, symbolically, to life’s beginning and end. (Think of a name like “Sunset Burial Ground” and you’ll get the idea.) Of course, once a person is in heaven, his/her direct contact with the Lord’s beauty is no comparison to any sunrise or sunset, which can only be imparted by God’s own beauty manifest on earth. But after the “sun sets” on that decedent’s life, the “Son” rises immediately after then, and shall never set. (cf. Rev 22:5)
Other psychological attributes can be compared, especially as the days crunch from June to December and expand from then to the next June. This very day, after taking a late-afternoon nap, since it’s late November, I woke up, with a time of 5-something. I would have thought this was in AM, given it was dark. But I logically concluded this couldn’t be the case, and verified by knowing that the “PM light” on the alarm clock was lit. It was time to get back to business!
Incidentally, it’s Thanksgiving today, and we should recognize these two beauties are among the many our world has to offer. So on any day of the 365/6, when you see one (or any beautiful scene between the two ends whether day or night), thank the Lord for it. He is worthy of that praise.
The Adventures of a Christian Bookworm 