15th of May, Lake Bluff (Eddie)
with apologies to Bruce Springsteen.
Eddie the aurora is risin' behind us...
Very early this morning, around 3:00am, I was awakened by the sounds of Rick loading the dishwasher and the front door slamming as the stragglers from a casual get-together that the girls hosted finally departed. I looked outside and saw three neighborhood mopes standing in our frontyard. Staring at the sky; mouthes agape. When I looked up into the sky, I saw some mildy twinkly northern lights to the north.

I must be getting old and jaded because my next move was to put my head on the pillow and try to get back to sleep. Five minutes later, Franny came through the house, pounding on bedroom doors and exhorting everyone to come outside and see the spectacle. Chuck couldn’t make it - probably due to the Ny-Quill he took at bedtime. Martha was reluctant. So was Eddie. But their efforts were rewarded with a most spectacular show of northern lights directly overhead. Now fully awake - and freezing in my nightshirt+cardigan ensemble- I praised their cooperation by noting that we sometimes must make an effort in time, travel etc. if we want to appreciate God’s handiwork in nature. (For some family members, venturing on to the lawn at 3:00am is equivalent to traveling to Siberia to see an eclipse.)
And seeing Eddie’s delight rekindled my awe.

Enthusiasm is now running high for a trip to the UP this summer, ideally timed to coincide with the Perseid meteor showers. The kids have a good grasp of the concept of “light pollution.” (The greater Chicago area has a lot of light pollution. Starting with the porch light on the other half of our townhouse. Courtesy dictated not ringing the neighbors doorbell at 3:00am to ask them to shut it off.)

Look at the Stars! Look, look up at the skies!
O look at all the fire-folk sitting in the air!
The bright boroughs, the circle-citadels there!
-Gerard Manley Hopkins