Purple Shades

I hadn't thought of this song in years, but standing on the beach with Lumen, watching the purple sky intensify, watching the gold of the setting sun slowly being obscured, it came back to me. "Purple shades at eventide - remind me of your love." 

It was in the fifties. My sister had recently gone off to college, leaving her record collection behind. I was just old enough to swoon over Purple Shades and various other songs of romantic and hopeless love. Sitting cross-legged, watching the heavy vinyl records spin round and round, my young heart spun also, as I learned the lyrics and sang along. I didn't yet know that a pattern was already forming to affect my future love-life.

Fortunately, I am beyond the age to swoon over lost love. It is enough to swoon over a sunset and enjoy singing a once beloved old song on the walk home. 

An extra of the sunset before the sun slipped below the horizon.