Lessons from Life

This morning about 12:15 a.m., something woke me up. It wasn't a noise or anything. Just a strange feeling, I guess. I laid there for a few minutes, then realizing I wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon, I got up to go to the kitchen to get something to drink.

At the sink, I looked out the window, and saw everything out there as clearly as if it were noon. The moon was so bright. It was incredible.

Unable to resist, I slipped on some flipflops and walked outside. Walking south down my driveway, I was looking up at the sky and saw the biggest, brightest moon I think I've ever seen. All the stars were very faint, except for one I could only glimpse every now and then through the leaves of the trees. At the end of my driveway, I stood there for a few minutes, taking in the silence of the moon-swept night. A soft, cool breeze was blowing, and there were no sounds except that breeze rippling through the trees. Eventually a dog began barking, and as I turned to walk back to my house, I caught a look at my shadow. For the first time, I fully understood what a "moonshadow" is. It was just as sharp and clear as the shadows cast by the sun. I held my hands out in front of me and studied them, wondering at how clearly I could see them in the moonlight.

I started back into my house, but something prompted me to walk to the east side of my carport, open to the night. Looking up at the sky, I saw that bright star. Without my glasses, it literally looked like a multi-faceted diamond hanging up there in the soft dark blue of the sky. Not really a star, but the planet Venus, I felt just a little less alone.

The dog began barking again, and I very reluctantly returned to the darkness of my house. I wanted to walk on down the road, feel the gentle breeze and enjoy the beauty of the night.

I wonder if there will be another chance to do so.

I hope so.