Join My Newsletter

Heartwarming Small-Town Romances and Thrilling Mysteries

Last Wednesday, at 3:30 a.m., my alarm woke me up. I drug myself out of bed, debating whether it was worth the effort or not. The issue remained unresolved as I threw on some clothes and woke Hubby.

We drove a few blocks up the hill to a place where we had a great view of the western sky. The stars were out, but we could only see the brightest ones due to the lights of Rapid City. The skies seemed clear. It was the perfect eclipse watching conditions. We thought.

A pickup was already parked with two people in the back wrapped in blankets sitting on lawn chairs. Another car was parked father away. We weren’t the only crazy ones watching this celestial event.

We made small talk while watching the moon slowly disappear. Soon the moonlit the edges of a cloud became visible. Oh great! The clouds were going to ruin it for us. And after rising at such a crazy hour.

The moon went behind a long cloud. We were patient. The moon had to reappear sooner or later. There was clear sky between the cloud and the horizon. While the cloud annoyed us, more cars arrived. A dad with two young children wrapped in blankets. People on bicycles. A car with two people who parked beside us.

When the moon emerged from behind the cloud, it was much smaller. The dad pointed at it with his children. A person in the car next to us got out wearing their bathrobe and slippers. Hummmm. Maybe I could have done that. I hadn’t planned on getting out of the car so it wouldn’t have mattered.

All eyes were on the moon as it narrowed into a slight crescent. The sky was getting light by then and the distant clouds threatened our view once again. Hubby and I took one final look and left. We were surprised by what we saw in the eastern sky.

McDonald’s fixed our breakfast, and I went back to bed after I finished it.

While we were sitting there, I thought of several things I should learn from the experience:

  1. Sometimes things get in the way of your intentions. Be patient. They may pass.
  2. Nature puts on magnificent shows. Take the time to go see them.
  3. Look around. Beauty may be behind you.
  4. Always put appropriate clothes on when you go out. It only takes a few minutes. Walking in a crowd in your bathrobe looks funny.
  5. Don’t miss something because of its timing. You can always go back to bed later.

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His Handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. Psalms 19:1-2

He appointed the moon for seasons; The sun knows its going down. Psalms 104:19

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *