Before settling down with my youngest son to sleep, I snuck another look at the night sky. Beauty beyond all beauty calling me.

As I stood in my back yard among the pool and other back yard objects, I felt like I was enveloped in the night sky. All the lights disappeared. It was me and the night sky, the stars and the planets aligned like never before in my life time. Uranus, Jupiter and Mars, then Venus. Amazing. How could this exist? I never knew such contrast of light and dark with amazing celestial allure.

Why didn’t I become an astronomer? Why didn’t I trust myself and follow the science in the beauty of this planet?

Instead I followed the community service provider. Working in the community has its benefits and rewards, but the awesome and infinite swallowing of space and the stars whispered to me, ‘We have more stories and immeasurable findings to learn from. We don’t frustrate the way human behavior frustrates.”

Pulling out my ‘Night Sky’ app, the sky revealed its intricate and crowded universe. Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Venus shined brightly overhead. They seemed to be on parade announcing their once in a lifetime universal meeting.

I stretched my neck up and back feeling the dark night. A movement caused the neighbor’s motion light to turn on. Its brightness made me squint. Then it went out. Blackness again. I smiled to myself.

Water burbled like a fountain, soothing the darkness into a welcome surrounded by the glittering stars. I breathed deep. Inhale. Hold, then exhale. My body relaxed and I felt joy. Stars of different colors, not just bright white; yellows and reds and some specks of green or purple.

The patio chair supported my reclined body while the umbrella waved its fake grass like whispers in the breeze. Fresh and cool, the night air took me back to my youth to camping at the end of summer in New York. Remembering the open field and the stars so close, lifting my hand to the sky felt like they were close enough to touch my body.

How amazing and what a pleasure to be able to enjoy such revelation of space and time.