Waiting on the Sun (to go down)

This week, a time capsule was opened dating back 50 years to 1976, so it feels fitting to reflect on that year. The Broadway musical Annie opened, and its signature song has resonated through every generation since. The musical hit, "Tomorrow," became more than a showstopper. It became a promise: no matter the storm clouds overhead, the sun will come out tomorrow, and we'll all get the chance to chart a new course, see a new future.

That same era gave us two films that topped the box office in 1976: Rocky and All the President's Men. One told the story of rising from nothing to something, of overcoming odds long enough to go the distance. The other — my personal favorite — told the story of the Washington Post, Richard Nixon, and the value of journalists in preserving our democratic ideals this country runs on. That combination is about as American as it gets, and I trust we never lose either one.

Fifty years later, plenty has changed. It's gotten hotter — much hotter. And for a lot of reasons, it's gotten harder to know who to trust. But some things hold steady, like our need to find joy after the sun goes down. Kayaking by moonlight. Early morning walks with the dog before the heat remembers it exists. Mountain bike trails through the Pinals in the morning, before the heat hits.

Little Orphan Annie promised the sun would come out tomorrow. Around here, we're just waiting for it to go down — and hoping for better times.