I saw the universe

The photo is not mine. I could never do the scene justice.

Tonight, after I had shut my pc down and prepared for bed, I quickly popped outside to get the laundry ready for tomorrow. While out there, I looked up. It is really the only way to look. Our extensive yard area is so large, I can touch both sides without stretching my arms out fully.

I looked up. Instead of the usual covering of murky grey-black, I saw a velvet black sky sprinkled with more stars than I have ever seen here. The stars were clear and bright and appeared to go on forever. For the first time in years, I could clearly make out the Southern Cross, the Big Dipper (and more familiar formations that I have forgotten the names to). Between them, the freckled heavens seemed to go on forever... I felt as though I could gaze out into eternity.

I looked down at the walls surrounding me and, for a second, felt the way a prisoner must feel when he looks out and sees the universe through his little patch of window. I am not, for a moment, equating where I live to a prison... just drawing a comparison to the confinement I felt compared to the vastness out there. I saw, in that moment, the whole universe straight overhead.

For that moment, I stopped breathing. I considered making a wish, but in that moment, I knew the Universe was very aware of my wish. It seemed selfish to keep this to myself, so I went inside and called Tatiana. We shared the next few moments just gazing and drinking in this infinite beauty.

Moments like these are what makes it all worthwhile. I am grateful for laundry : ) Sweet dreams to you all!