You never really know how much you're going to miss something until you're without it for a while. I've realized Bridgewater State University is missing one thing; a sky that makes you feel something. I've come to find that something that I enjoy the most is hidden by the pollution of lights.
This past Summer lying underneath the stars on one of the many beaches of Nantucket, shooting stars whizzed above. No matter how many shooting stars I see, my head always tends to tilt back as my mouth opens in astonishment. I usually scream "Look at the sky! They're so pretty!" in a voice that resembles a six year old girl seeing her presents underneath the tree on Christmas morning. They've always amazed me. Someone once told me that they little holes in the floor of Heaven. I used to think they were little fireflies way up in space just fluttering around. Scientifically speaking, I am aware they're just burning balls of fire but it's always nice to think about other possibilities too.
Sunsets and stargazing were a big part of growing up for me. Countless memories of adventures occurred underneath the sky; adventures like sleeping out on the beach next to a campfire and night swimming with my best friends. I've come to find that if I'm ever sad or unsure of something it always comforts me and I know I'll be alright. It makes me think that there has to be a bigger purpose; that we're all here for some specific reason. It also makes you understand just how small you are, it puts things into perspective a little better.
Looking up while walking through campus at night, I'm lucky if I can make out four or five. It may seem silly to some people to be so dependent on little balls of fire thousands of miles away, but little things like this make me happy and I think that's important.
After travelling for over four hours on a bus thanks to Boston traffic on Columbus Day weekend, I finally pulled into the long, winding driveway of my family's house in Maine. The street name my family lives on is called Starry Night Drive - kind of ironic isn't it? Getting out of the car, I looked up with my head back, my mouth agape, amazed at how many I could see, and felt that sense of purpose again.
