7 – Horizon

Expanding walks to Thursdays starting this week

Click the video above for 2 minutes of background waves while reading.

I like walking on the beach. It is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

I stand looking at the water. As I turn my head 180 degrees from east to west, the distant horizon appears both as a straight line and as an arc where outbound ships disappear. No wonder there was a time many years ago when civilizations thought our world as flat – but that is a story in itself.

Horizon is that line serving as a baseline for determining the angle of something in the sky – the sun, the moon, a sparking celestial object of the night that is so far away – the azimuth – a measure.

Some see the horizon over the sea as the place where the sun signals the day’s brightness to come with a warm glow transforming the dark clouds of night into blues and grays accented with yellows and orange streaks. The signal preceding a glowing disc rising over the horizon.

Others see the horizon as the place where the sun dips to kiss the sea before heading out of sight – a signal of the night that is to come.

Perhaps the horizon is where the known and unknown meet. Each of us know different amounts of different things. Nobody knows all – so for each of us, the unknown lies beyond the horizon.

Perhaps the horizon is like learning – the more one knows, the more they realize how much they don’t know – therefore, how much there is to know – yet to be learned.

Perhaps the horizon is a different edge – an edge separating graspable concepts that we can comprehend with the ungraspable. Beyond the horizon lie concepts one fails to approach – failing to comprehend. The bigger question lies in the same one-word question for all – why?

Perhaps the horizon separates our life known up to the moment to the unknown of tomorrow. The horizon separates our yesterday from our tomorrow. Looking across the water to the horizon that separates our past from our future.

Perhaps the horizon is a metaphor beyond the waters that refresh my feet. After all, the hills of home have a horizon. What lies in the uncertainty over the next hill? Yes, looking up the hill is the same as viewing across the water. Thinking about what lies over the next hill is the same as thinking beyond the horizon that I see at the moment.

Perhaps the horizon is about the dreams of today and the unknown of tomorrow for all of humanity. The dreams of curing cancer, reducing poverty, traveling to the great unknowns of the universe, and more. People see the same horizon, yet everyone has different hopes and dreams – possibly vastly different. Therefore, the journey to the land of hopes and dreams of a vision on the land sought is a journey only for the patient.

Perhaps the horizon is like science because science is on a never-ending quest to answer questions that do not stop. After all, answers lead to new questions.

Perhaps beyond the horizon lies solutions, diversions, and solace – but all with very much uncertainty, a fear of change, the mourning of a loss, and an unfolding of tomorrow.

Perhaps the horizon is something one desires but will never have – or only have in thoughts and dreams. Maybe trying to reach the horizon is futile or elusive – perhaps it is endless.

A ship moving toward the horizon that never gets closer to the horizon. Perhaps the horizon is the fantasy with a lover a person will never have for it is unattainable – although seemingly closer. As the ship keeps moving, the lover keeps reaching – but both the horizon and the lover remain out of reach.

Perhaps the horizon as a stranger – a person unknown for now – possibly one who will connect to your soul – one becoming a truly trusted friend on multiple levels.

Perhaps the horizon is the blur between here and there, now and then, yesterday and tomorrow.

Perhaps the horizon is the window in the past where we see a loved one waving and smiling.

Perhaps thinking beyond the horizon is wondering about the unknown of the next frontier – whatever it may be.

Perhaps the horizon is where geniuses reside – those few who can think beyond the border – beyond the horizon – think in an inspired, creative way with an uncontrollable curiosity that is different from the norm – to see more and more deeply than others – thinking beyond the horizon.

Meanwhile, I ponder the horizon that I see – a straight line in one direction – an arc in another. The horizon – a reminder that I enjoy walking on the beach and that it is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

What others have written about horizons

• Beyond the horizon: words and images
• Horizon street art
• Distant horizons watercolors
• Towards the horizon – a poem
• Horizons – a poetic prompt

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Next Walk: Water – Thursday 12 November @ 1 AM (Eastern US)