When I look at the stars

My favorite thing in winter is coming home late at night to a crystal clear sky full of a million stars. Most of the time it's cloudy when I look up, but sometimes, like tonight, I can see the stars. I'm the crazy women standing in the middle of her yard looking up when it is frigid outside. But that's when the chaos of life makes the most sense.

It recently occurred to me that it really is the same sky since the beginning of the earth. Yes, there are stars that have since died and stars that have since been created, but, for the most part, it is the same. All figures of history, from Moses to Lincoln, from Joan of Arc to Eleanor Roosevelt, stood under the same sky I am standing under. I feel empowered, connected when I look at the stars. A little humbled as well.

I've been listening to Ms. Clarkson these days. Her song, Beautiful Disaster, pretty much sums up my dating/working experiences from college to three years ago. I'm a sucker for people who need help, especially when I really should run in the other direction...