Sunsets are healing. This is their season. Early summer. When, by late evening, around a languid 6.45, the sky sheds its fluffy, cotton-white clouds. What remains is a soft, open blue, like a well-loved pair of jeans, clearing the stage for the sun’s final act. And what an exit it makes.
There it hangs for a moment, a molten, golden orb, poised just above the horizon. As though reconsidering its departure. Then, it quietly slips into the shimmering Arabian Sea. Not with drama, but with grace. Like an Olympic diver. Clean, precise, barely a ripple left behind. Twilight, which has been waiting in hushed anticipation, steps forward. The birds find their voice again. And the world exhales.
I have seen enough sunsets not to chase them. I do not travel to witness one, nor do I expect the sun to perform differently just because I am watching. And yet, yesterday, an unplanned turn brought me to the Bandra Land’s End promenade. And I paused. Not for the spectacle, but for the stillness.
Around me, people sat like quiet frontbenchers at a grand, everyday theatre. Phones in hand, waiting to capture the sun’s farewell. The opacarophiles, they are called. Chasers of sunsets. I stood behind them, and for once, did not look away. Because beyond the beauty of the setting sun, there was something else — something gentler. The sea moved in its timeless rhythm, its waves whispering rather than crashing. The blue stretched endlessly, calming the mind in ways words rarely can. The air, tinged with salt, carried a quiet vitality.
And in that moment, I felt it again. What I had once known as a boy, building sandcastles at the edge of this very sea. The soft, shifting sand beneath my feet. The sense — simple and certain — that I was exactly where I was meant to be. The sun disappeared. But the calm stayed.
# 6:45 pm, Bandra Bandstand. A quiet reminder that endings can be gentle.
About Mark Manuel
The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel. Being interviewing almost every role model of this country and going stronger each day. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, and columnist.
With over three decades of journalism in leading publications. This includes the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, and Afternoon. He is famous for his brilliant pen interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.
Further
His interviews have featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. Almost every famous person has been interviewed by him in the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat.
Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward in a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work.
About Story of Souls
Leave your comments on how you like this story. If you love it, share it to bring that change we wish to see in the world.
You can also share your inspiring story with us at submitstories.storyofsouls@gmail.com. Story of Souls is an initiative where we invite people to bring their stories to us. We want people to “write to heal.” The idea of Storyofsouls is appreciated by ALL INDIA RADIO. An Online Platform where you can share your real-life stories. The impact of our stories has reached the UN and Harvard University. For some real-life stories, web series are also planned. You can also visit our YouTube channel. You can follow us on Facebook LinkedIn Instagram.
Storyofsouls is glad to inform you that we are now a Google News-verified platform.
We are proud to inform you all that storyofsouls.com is the official TEDx MotiJheel Kanpur Partner for their upcoming event.
