Skywatcher

Although I know very little about the constellations and planets and I’m surely no expert on weather or cloud formations, I’ve always been intrigued and awed by the sky and its infinity.

When we were young girls, my forever friend, Pam, and I used to refer to “God Skies” and “God Clouds” after seeing too many televised versions of The Robe, The Ten Commandments, and Ben Hur, where God's presence would be made known by particular sky scenes—usually the sun's rays angling out from behind clouds.

Since then, I have found solace in those magnificent “God Skies.” Any burden that seems to be weighing heavily on my shoulders lessens because I feel as if a greater power knows the plan.

I also love to watch the early morning sky. When all is still and the day is unfolding, there is nothing as lovely as the dawn. It’s not unusual for me to find myself unable to move away from the bedroom or kitchen windows, for the early-morning sky is often a radiant shade of pink. How can one have a bad day when it starts out with such majesty, beauty and tranquility?

The sky at sunset also has a way of drawing my attention away from other matters. Often, those evening skies are filled with sherbet colors of pink and orange. My late mom used to refer to "sky blue pink," as a tongue-in-cheek color description.  I wonder if that phrase came about because of a sky like those I often see at sunset.

The night sky always used to captivate my parents' attention.  Growing up in the country, there were no city lights to obstruct our view of the celestial nuances.  My parents would sit outside in lawn chairs in our back yard on summer evenings, gazing upward with appreciation. The wide expanse of blackness, dotted with many bright and twinkling stars, makes one feel small in the context of the cosmos. 

My husband, Larry, and I have had the opportunity to learn more about the night sky from members of an area astronomy society who generously share their telescopes with the curious at our local state park. We’ve seen planets, stars and constellations in ways we could never enjoy with the naked eye.

Larry and I have also attended lectures about solar eclipses and black holes. There is so much to learn about that vast umbrella that we call the sky.

When life feels as if it’s spinning too quickly, take a few moments to look up at the sky, whether at sunrise, midday, sunset or in the dark of night. Spend a few moments in awe of the infinite, and find peace.