Night Sky

                                        Full moon over Kingston Creek

It was yesterday September 7 when I settled into writing you. I was just home from eating cake while gathering to celebrate a momentous occasion - Charlie, my youngest grandson’s 10th birthday. 

Amid the usual gifts of socks and cash, there were gifts cards for Xbox games. “What’s an Xbox?” I asked. “A video game, Grandma,” came the reply; accompanied with an eye roll. Coincidentally, the first X box games were released ten years ago. 

Remembering the excitement of Charlie’s birth caused me to think about how the world has evolved these past ten years. Facebook memories pop up with photos of Charlies’ first day. It was with awe and wonder we first stared into the red raisin face of this adorable newborn.

It seems the ten years have flown by all to quickly and without those photos, the images of those early days would be vague.

I remember loved ones, parents and friends no longer in our midst. 

I celebrate how new friendships have evolved - each enriching my life. 

Change has been massive in these ten years. Today teachers are wrestling with how to teach amid a world of artificial intelligence… where students can easily ask Chatbox for quick answers. I ponder, how will teachers assess what is being learned? How can teachers embrace the reality that Chatbox is here… and still inspire students to think critically, to learn how to ponder and consider? 

Still students are students. Teachers are teachers. Everyone is trying to do their best to make the world a better place.

Sometimes I need reminders of just how much goodness is happening around us. Occasionally gloom, like the first frost, tries to settle in my heart; especially when the daily news brings stories that diminish hope, when wealth for a few seems to be valued more than people, peace and the planet.  

On those moments, I find that if I can step outside, and look out at a tiny portion of the cosmos, awe creeps in, pushing gloom aside.

Which brings me to another gift of this week - the warm temperatures and clear night sky over Chickadee Lane.

As the sky darkens, the clouds lift and stars, planets and satellites appear. And I wonder how many times they have circled Earth. What messages are bouncing back and forth between satellite and Earth?

The lights of an overhead plane flicker in the night. Thanks to the miracle of the circling satellites, I can simply open an app on my phone, point the phone toward the airplane and, low and behold, I know the flight departure and destination sites! FYI - After 9 pm most planes are heading to Europe. 

For me, simply stepping outdoors, gazing into the night sky puts life into perspective.

So I invite you. If possible, look out. Imagine you are looking down to the stars and feel that mighty force that keeps you from falling off Earth. Some call it Holy.

If getting outdoors is a bother or if mobility keeps you indoors, then throw back the curtains, turn off the lights and look out. 

May the September sky become a healing balm to your days and nights.