Beauty In The Fog

Beauty In The Fog

“The Fog and Sun are like the Yin and Yang–they coexist for our benefit.”

You haven’t the foggiest idea how beautiful it can be on a foggy morning at the top of Mount Davidson in San Francisco. For me, the fog is a metaphor about our lives. If you are in a fog, do not despair. Be patient. The fog will melt away and you will see your destination. Sometimes events, which we experience or encounter, seem as though there is no solution, as everything is covered by the fog. We try to do something to change the situation, but we aren’t able to see the entire picture. Meanwhile, anyone who has ever been in a foggy condition knows that often there is no need to do anything, but to wait until the warmth of the sun melts the moisture of the fog and the wind blows it away. And suddenly, almost miraculously, we can clearly see where we are and where we need to go.

The idea to write about the beauty of the fog came while visiting Charlie and Hanka’s home, which I’ve written about in the last couple of weeks. It was toward the evening, and I wanted to capture the sunset. But when I came to the balcony, I could only see the fog rolling in. It was quickly covering the vistas in front of me. But here and there the light from the setting sun was eliminating the hills of the surrounding neighborhood. It was like a reminder that it is not all grey. Tomorrow the view will be visible again. But not for everyone.

Hanka lives in the big house, with the beautiful view. Her loving daughter is with her. She has domestic help. She is fed and clothed. But her mind is fogged by dementia, through which she clearly sees her destination. “Soon I’ll join Charlie”, she told me.

San Francisco is known as the “Foggy City” because of special meteorological conditions and geography. It is probably why Mark Twain famously said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”.

In the cold of our summer the sun bursts through the fog. It is an art exhibit at the de Young Museum in the Golden Gate Park.

We are privileged to see masterpieces of one of the most revered British painters of all time J.M.W. Turner. His works, especially painted later in his life, are filled with light bursting through the fog. He said “Light is color”. He conveyed it in a masterful way. His last words were, “The sun is gone”, but his work will forever preserve his vision of the sun shining through.

P.S.

I never know what to expect when I hike up Mt. Davidson on Sunday mornings. Regardless of the weather or the time of day, it always surprises me with the different manifestations of beauty. If you’d like to join me, give me a call.

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Cheers,