Hello Up There

Hello up there. Can you see us? Yes, we are waving to you in hopes that you will wave back. Oh, yes you CAN see us for you just blinked that beautiful twinkle of yours in the midnight black sky. And you there: Are you a planet or just an extra bright star tonight? And you, Mr. Moon, thank you for shining brilliantly in the clear night and showing off your freckles. Oh, and all of you jet passengers, can you see us? Do we look like tiny little ants?

As you grow up, it is easy to forget about the simple joys in life. Sometimes it takes our children to remind us that your imagination is one of the best gifts that Mother Nature and God have provided you. This much needed attribute can take you beyond your wildest dreams and can provide you with a relaxing outlet or even steadfast confidence. Why is it then, as one grows up, that one can lose touch and at times completely forget about this amazing trait?

After weeks of promises, I finally came through for Kaelen on Friday night. It was a perfectly clear night, the house was hot and sticky while outside was cooler with a warm yet soothing breeze. And, because this was Kaelen's first time star gazing, we pulled out the air bed, blew it up and cozied ourselves up with a mountain of soft blankets, pillows and high tech flashlights to catch any bad guys planning on crashing our party.

For two hours, I attempted to teach Kaelen about stars, planets, the moon, satellites and shooting stars. While he was genuinely interested, at the inquisitive age of three, he was more interested in talking to the stars that were twinkling directly at him, and the alien who was driving the satellite and taking pictures of him. He was convinced that the jet passengers were waving to him and that the sheet lightning in the distance was fireworks in heaven. In reality, it was Kaelen who reminded me that using your imagination was so much more fun and interesting.

We named stars after ourselves and giggled into the night. And at one point, we even pretended to see a shooting star and confided our wishes to each other. Lucky for me that Kaelen's was that he would receive a hug and a kiss from someone special. That wish topped off a night that will be in the forefront of my memory for a long time to come. So if you are looking to have a refreshing night, I would highly recommend grabbing your precious child, grabbing a blanket and cuddling up outside. If you don't have a child, then I would be more than willing to loan mine out for two hours max.