Sunset

"It has only been a game all this while. Must do some work now", thought the sun. He managed to get out of the clutches of the clouds and looked around him. Then, he spread his sharp rays over the world illuminating it with his splendour. The sun was serious about his work, the wind was quiet. Both were engrossed in their respective tasks. The grove on the bank of the river hummed with the primeval sound of the universe. The river, when it was but a trickle, had played with all the pebbles it met on its way - the big ones and the little ones. Now that it had attained maturity, it had a dignity of its own. Then, too, it had flowed towards the sea. But it was not obsessed with its journey. Now, it was only concious of its duty. But even if it had the status of an adult, should there not be a little playfulness too? So, it went round and round in some places, jumped and danced in others, making soft sounds as it flowed along.

The rays of the sun touched the river, the grove on its banks, the quiet village in the distance. Everything bathed in golden glow. The sun realised that the world had its radiance from him. He saw it all and he wanted to stay. But he had to go. Faced with this dilemma, the sun went down. The day ended. A calm filled the earth.

~ Excerpt from a book by Venkatesha Iyengar.