stargazing remedies

Her hand shot upward towards the veil of stars that stretched endlessly across the black and navy gradient sky. With a twinkle in her eye, she pointed specifically to one shooting star that flashed before them. It had not been the first one they had seen, nor the last, but with each one that darted into darkness, she couldn’t help but yell, “Look!” It was not a unique scene, as she was sure others were enjoying the same spectacle, yet she was certain no one was experiencing this moment quite as beautifully.

Bundled in layers, they were strewn across a striped wool blanket atop the frozen blades of grass, facing upward at the scattered celestial beings. The patterns in the sky made no sense to her, though she was very aware of their expansiveness. The two star-gazers were alone in a small clearing, surrounded by towering pine trees and bushes, whose dark shadows barely allowed the moonlight to shine through the lattices of leaves. Situated as comfortably as one can be in negative degree weather, the harsh, crisp January air left their faces frostbitten as they gazed skyward; admiring the stillness of the stars and the ethereal glow from the waxing crescent moon. Hidden from society, they were accompanied only by the soft rustle of trees, the occasional coyote howl, the slight trickle from a nearby creek, and the constant reminder of their ephemerality within the universe. The black, overwhelmingly deep firmament was an unfamiliar experience from her city life; where the lights never faded, perpetually hiding the beauty of our shared sky and the fragility of our universe.

It’s miraculous to untangle how connected humans are to nature. We desire long walks hidden beneath a canopy of trees. The sound of rhythmic waves lulls us to sleep as feet dig freely into gritty sand. We relish in the moments spent away from our bustling reality, reminding us of the vast, wondrous world we periodically forget. We attempt to find order throughout the inconceivable mystery that is life, and in looking for clarity, retreat to nature. It's not until we remember how seemingly, inconsequential the fleeting facets of life may be, that we recognize how truly invaluable they are.