I love many aspects of nature, but one of my favorites is the sky. I would love to have a quality camera and be able to photograph some of the stunning sunsets and sunrises that I see so that I could capture the vibrant colors. One of the simplest pleasures in life is laying out and watching the clouds float by.

My love for the sky began as a child. I could think without boundaries or limitations and this led me to wonder about the nature of space, time and gravity. Staring at the sky captured my imagination, wondering at the vastness of the universe and how I was stuck on planet Earth.

The sky is always the backdrop to some of the best moments in our lives. I love the warm summer days where giant, fluffy clouds float lazily across a Carolina blue canvas. But even storm clouds can be beautiful. When I was a lifeguard, there was nothing better than feeling a cool breeze and watching the darkly colored clouds moving quickly towards the pool.

I have so many pictures saved on my phone of beautiful sunsets and sunrises. The colors produced as the Earth revolves mesmerize me. No two days will ever be exactly the same. Seeing the sunset/sunrise somehow inspires a bit of hope and feeling of peace in me, perhaps it is the knowledge that every bad day will come to an end and a new one will begin.

The night sky is also one of the most fascinating things to see. I would love to be able to see the Northern Lights one day. I spend some of my free time learning about the constellations and trying to identify them. My absolute favorite constellations are Orion and Orion's Belt. In the fall and winter (in the Northern Hemisphere), it is a comforting sight on a clear night.

I also really love the moon and its phases. The moon and sun are constant throughout time. It's mind-boggling to think of all the people throughout history that have looked up to the same moon and sun and used them to guide their lives.

I’ll always be that kid staring up at the sky with my mouth wide open imagining what civilizations have risen and fallen in the time taken for the light to travel from the stars to my eyes. How tiny and insignificant we are, how short our lives are in the grand scheme of things.