His Question

My cousin, Daniel, is an interesting guy. He is a comedian by profession and possibly by circumstance. With wit and sarcasm, he humors the masses across North America. I have seen him perform and he is actually really funny. My favorite thing about Daniel is the fascinating conversations we have had. Especially, I loved the times when we stayed up all night playing Nintendo. I haven't seen him for quite some time, but the internet keeps us connected. Daniel has his own blog of commentary which I read often. Recently, he posted many questions to his readers. I decided I will answer one of them here.

When was the last time you layed under the stars?

Last week, I was traveling home from Duluth. It's about 160 miles of quietness for me. I love having the time to think and reflect without any distractions besides looking out for deer and the occasional crazy driver passing me by doing 85 mph. This night was little different. The sky was clear and all the clouds that casted over the city earlier were missing in action. The stars were twinkling above and their very sparkle made me look up. I know my face evinced my joy at the sight above me. But I was driving, so this glee was only transient. I began to wonder about the last time I spent stargazing.

Last summer, the kids persistently reminded me of their desire to go camping. I surrendered to their request when I found the tent of my dreams. I actually considered how exciting it would be to escape the city for some forest solitude.

We scored a jackpot with the weather. It was mild and sunny for three days. Our campsite was fairly secluded and peaceful. The kids were more than happy to haul wood to our site and appreciated the glow of the warm fire at night. We enjoyed our days of activity surrounded by nature. On the last night, after smores and stories, we quickly drifted off to dreamland.

I don't know what awoke me. I had the urge to leave the tent. I decide to go out and look around. The first thing I observed was how dark my surroundings were without the burning fire. The moonlight was fleeting and only the stars illuminated the sky above me. I decided to lay on my blanket and enjoy the view above. The trees around me limited my view to a portion of the sky, but still the stars sparkled with magic. These self-luminous celestial masses spoke serenity to my soul. I took pleasure in the moment until my body reminded me it was time to sleep. As I nestled into my makeshift bed in the tent, I closed my eyes. I could still see the stars in my mind. They were still twinkling bright as ever. That night I made a memory of those wonderful moments. This summer, I hope to make many more under the stars.

Stay sweet 'n smile.....................Mz.