When I was kid, my family went to a resort in Cross Lake, Minnesota called Beacon Shores. The resort was perched high on the shores of Whitefish Lake, a large, clear northern Minnesota Lake. I remember one year when we were there, scientists had predicted a large meteor shower to happen one evening. At about 10 o’clock that night my twin brother and I went down to the dock and laid on our backs at the end of the dock, staring up at the sky. It was so peaceful to lay on that dock with cool night air surrounding us, the sound of waves gently lapping on the shoreline, and the faint smell of wood smoke from the bonfire that the other guests were enjoying on shore. The stars were so bright there — much brighter than I had ever seen since I grew up in the light of the city. You couldn’t help but look at that and be amazed by it. We didn’t see many meteors though…..

Tonight, as I walked the dogs, that memory came flooding back to me for some reason. Today was the first 60 degree day of the year and at 9:00 tonight I took the dogs for a long walk and enjoyed the beauty of the night sky, the joyful panting of the dogs, and the solitude of a quiet spring evening. I was even treated to the site of Venus being right next the moon and a beautiful view of my favorite constellation, Orion.

It is times like these that make it truly a joy to be alive.