Starlight

Before I went to sleep, I looked out the window and saw the stars. One shone brighter than the others. This star was almost invitation to gaze out and admire the night. It was midnight. I looked and saw many more stars. I angled my head up high, looking for stars. I crouched down slightly, eager to see if there were more visible.

The sky was mostly clear; a few clouds in the horizon. Sometimes planes passed by; visible in the dark sky, then obscured by the clouds, then once agani visible. I said to myself "wow." As if I wanted the stars to know the beauty I saw in them. I felt joy.

As I often do, I pondered the mysteries of the universe. I reflected on those who dedicate their careers to astronomy and space: to learning about the nature of the universe of which we are all a part. This reminds me of the recently-released photos from the James Webb Telescope, showing scenes from the early universe. I was taken aback: intrigued and yet mystified. Excited.

Like I experienced in Roman churches on vacation last year from looking up at frescoes on the ceiling, I found my neck feeling tense. The stars were captivating. I didn't want to take my eyes off them. I haven't seen so many stars in months, back when I was on a plane and was blessed with being able to look out the window and see stars from the sky while I was above the clouds.

I went to my bedroom and came back to type out this note, a reminder of the moment. The bright stars, blanketing the sky.

A beautiful night.