Moon Rise

When was the last time you looked at the sky? I mean the shapes of the clouds, the colors the sun has painted for you to see right then? When was the last time you laid on the ground and watched the stars move across the sky?

I have seen the sky in lots of different times and places. I have seen the sky when Mount St. Helen's painted colors with her ash from my place on the planet in New Mexico. I have watched countless sunsets over both the desert and the ocean. I have held my breath and listened while the sun settled for the night into the deep sea, and waited to see if I could hear the 'hiss' when the outer edge touches the water. I did hear something, it was memorable.

Do you know our planet is the only planet that has no moon? Our orbit is called the Moon, but it is not a true moon. A moon rotates on its own axis, our little orbit shows us the same side all day all night, we never see the dark side of the moon. Every other planet in our solar system has a moon, even Pluto has Charon.

I saw Hale-Bopp in the middle of the night during its closest moment to Earth, the tail could only be covered by my out stretched arm, with my whole palm. To date, probably the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in the sky. Like glitter spread in the wind, held motionless.

I have watched the stars so long, my eyes so used to the darkness, that satellites were easily seen traveling their lonely cold endless trek. I have wondered what they were doing, listening or talking... to who, and why.

One lovely night I was practicing as a junior pharmacist. Mixing a bit of this with a bit of that and the stars glided around for me. Graceful and elegant, nearly audible in their dance, or was that a mixture of music and an affinity for physicists?

The point is, you and I are very small and the universe is above us and showing us time and distance. Giving a perspective that can only barely be imagined by those of us with our feet planted on terra firma. So, just stop, and look up, pick something you recognize, say our little moon, and take one deep breath.