Everyday Canvas

Metaphors Associated with the Sun

Prompt: Sun
Since it's July and we are being toasted by our star in the sky, what do you think about the metaphors about the sun, such as "a golden globe or a fiery ball..." etc? Or if you wish, please interpret any metaphors of your choice associated with sunrise and sunset.

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As bright and scorching as it is at this time in Florida and as evasive as it can be during the northern winters when it "slips away like a secret," our sun has a profound influence on our thoughts and expressions, reflecting its central role in outer space and through our human imagination. To begin with, our sun has brightness and warmth. It reminds us of happy and positive feelings, especially when we describe a moment or a person as "sunny" and "bringing sunshine" into our lives.

Then, the sun's heat and brightness can be metaphors for intense emotions, particularly passion and desire. Describing someone as having a "fiery temper" or being "as passionate as the sun" signals the intensity and strength of that person's emotions.

While the sun can symbolize intensity, guidance, and direction, it also alludes to our sense of purpose with metaphors such as "following the sun" or "a guiding star." Plus, in mythology, sun gods and deities often embody supreme power and leadership as reflected in the phrases, "the ruler of the sky," "as powerful as the sun," and "a golden chariot racing across the sky."

The sun is powerful by not only being forceful but also by having knowledge, enlightenment, and understanding. The suggestion to this idea is there especially when we recognize or express "a bright idea" or "a ray of insight."

Yet, more solemnly, it can also be a metaphor for the transient nature of time and life. "Fleeting sun," "sunset years," "the sunset of life," and "the dawn of a new era" point to the idea that life goes on despite the impermanence and the inevitable passage of time. When the emperor Marcus Aurelius lay dying he turned to his guard and said, cryptically, “Go to the rising sun; I am already setting.” Was he referring to the cult of sun-worshippers in his time? But then", the metaphor of "sun" is there several times over in his "Meditations."

Speaking for myself, I especially love the ideas of life, vitality, hope, and new beginnings when they are associated with the sun. "A new dawn," "The sun will rise again," "a new day dawning," "the sun of life," or "the sun of someone's life." I should know because I had numerous suns in my life, although most of them have set and gone on to possibly enlighten other universes.