Celestial Bodies

Image: Todd Young Art ~ A very talented man!

Charlie and I wound our way through shadow and light of sidewalks lined with houses, parks, museums, businesses, playgrounds and schools on our nighttime walk this evening. Remnants of snowbanks lured Charlie with lingering scents as her nose went to work taking in the last of winter's smells.

Our pace was light and quick tonight. Dry sidewalks beckoned us forward and we found a good rhythm in our steps, dangers of slipping in the not-so-distant past and the excitement of spring upon us.

With Charlie's nose focused on the ground, I was able to let my mind wander. And as thoughts flitted in and out of my head, my eyes continued to be drawn upward toward the moon. Its position in the sky tonight almost unreal, like something you'd see in a movie.

As I walked, it seemed to stay frozen in the same place on the horizon, never moving. Just suspended in the indigo blackness. Impossibly light and just... floating.

The sun, below the horizon, illuminated just a sliver of the bottom and right side of the moon but somehow cast a glow over the entire orb, giving it an extraordinary amount of depth and shape not normally seen. When I put my hand up to the sky, I could almost feel the weight and spherical shape of this celestial body we call... moon.

As we climbed the steep East Hill to gain a better view of the nighttime sky, I began to notice stars emerging. Bright punctuations of single stars stabbing through the blackness, misty galaxies and intricate patterns of constellations decorated the infinite vastness we call... sky.

And as we made our way back down the hill to our little neighborhood, I began to think about all the life happening around us... people making dinner, homework, chores, bath times, t.v. watching, bedtime stories and dog walking. Looking up at these ancient planets, stars and moon, I realize how infinitesimally small our lives are in relation to this glittering umbrella of celestial bodies that have been here longer than our minds can possibly fathom and will continue to exist long after we're gone.

I take a deep breath and all my little problems seem to melt away. My shoulders feel light and my mind is content. I'm peaceful in the knowledge that in the big scheme of things, I have a tiny blink of time to enjoy this magical and wondrous planet we call... home.