I have unknowingly trained myself
to look at the price of unleaded gas
at every station I pass.
Even if I have a full tank,
I automatically glance at the sign
to see the price of the moment.
Is it more than I most recently paid?
Is it less here than it is there?
Is it skyrocketing up
or spiraling down?
If there’s a gas station nearby,
my eyes are on it.
Except for this evening.
We were leaving a store
when a stunning sunset appeared
on the horizon.
Brilliant peaches and oranges
painted the sky,
mixing with heavy gray storm clouds
that were slowly rolling in.
I grabbed my camera,
started shooting
and suddenly noticed the $2.49
at the bottom of my viewfinder.
In a battle for my attention,
the glowing sky
won hands-down
over the glowing gas price.
Thank goodness!
The cost of anything
should never overshadow
priceless, natural beauty.
