Star Gazing

I choose to live in the suburbs.  I appreciate having most everything I need within a short drive.  To some it may seem crowded, noisy, and busy.  I call it home.  Granted, I know when to be on the roads and when to stay put because I do live in the most densely populated state.  Reality means that there are many people on the road at any given time.  But that is okay with me.  

Yet, the other evening on my way home from a Starbucks chat with a good friend, I noticed that I missed something - a sky black enough to see the stars.  

Car dealerships, grocery stores, mall complexes, and multiple highways shine their incandescent glow, begging for attention, stealing a clear view of the beauty above.  How often do I just move on to the next point on the agenda.  How many times do I drive with muscle memory hoping that I don't inadvertently miss my turn and simply drive up the driveway and into my house without even a second glance at the majesty of the sky.  

That particular night the sparkle of the sky did more than evoke a passing sigh.  I waited to go in the house, and stood in the yard gazing at the sky.  It was breathtaking.  The moon had been growing larger, but it had not yet reached its fullness.   The stars varying in brightness penetrated the darkness with points of light creating the images identified by star watchers of years ago.  There was a twinkle that made me smile.  

The stars are always there, specifically placed by God's own hand,  Their brightness and beauty are not determined by what I have permitted to shroud their glory.  I am the one missing out when I allow the artificial light and busyness to hide such a gift.

It was one of those moments that I wanted my kids to share.   Then again, that would mean inviting the noise and busyness back into the moment.  So, I stood, and gazed, and turned, and smiled at the treat God had given me that night.