In Utah, there are two types of cold. The kind you go sleigh riding and skiing in, and the kind you don’t. In other words, fresh snow on the ground calms the cold and makes it fun. Cold without the snow is just that… Cold.
It was a dark December morning and sunrise was expected at 7:00 a.m. The snow had been avoiding us, the ground was clear and the sky was open to the heavens. The chilled air felt as if it was funneling straight from the North Pole.
I had scouted out the Mount Timpanogos Temple several times throughout the summer with the intent of creating a fine art piece featuring the sunset. But this time sunrise was the prize and it was a bit of a mystery just what type of presentation I would get.
I arrived early so I would have time to set up for the best composition. In Utah, when your’e waiting on the sunrise, the timing is always a bit of an unknown. Especially if your’e shooting in the valley because the actual sunrise happens behind the mountains. Then it is a waiting game, one that becomes more tense the longer you wait.
Todays 20 degree weather made that wait seem like an eternity. I made good use of my time capturing the multiple phases of light as the sky progressed from dark… to blue… to rays peaking over the silhouetted peaks. More times than not, the appearance of the sun is actually anti-climatic compared to the beauty of the deep blue hues of twilight. This morning seemed to continue that pattern.
My experience seemed analogous to gospel lessons learned throughout life. Here I was enduring (the cold) to the end waiting (an eternity) for the sunrise to show. All the while, gazing at the glow of the temple lights knowing that those participating in the work inside would gain extra strength to help them endure lifes challenges.
There was a calm, peaceful feeling that overpowered the coldness in my toes and the redness on my ears. It was that reassurance that God is at the helm and his work moves on.
