Star light, star bright

It’s amazing what you can see and feel just by looking up. Given my religious upbringing, I can’t help but think of heaven when I look to the sky, but last weekend reminded me that we can all catch a glimpse into the amazing and ethereal.

My mom was visiting from Alliance, Neb. — my hometown — helping to watch the boys while Louise and I worked, and Friday night I spied her stargazing out the window with her grandbabies, pointing out particularly bright ones and even Mars and Jupiter, which could easily be seen thanks to the new moon.

As anyone in town can testify, the heat came on quickly this weekend. While the mornings and early afternoons provided plenty of time to play in the parks or take in some miniature golf, the high temperatures the rest of the day kept us inside with the air conditioner.

Still, as the sun went down and the stars came out, my son Michael was again ready to spend the evening gazing skyward. Rather than settling for a window view, my son, my mother and myself got a bit out from the town for a better look.

Though only one of us could be considered a child, I think mom and I felt plenty young at heart as we looked at the Milky Way, which was in part mirrored by the lights of Thermopolis.

For just a few minutes, nothing else mattered but what might be out there in the night sky.

Of course with a four-year-old it might be anything from mythological or religious deities to giant mutant space ninja sharks or the ever-popular Avengers, but it was great to imagine those things too while trying to show him the designs of the Big Dipper.

For those looking for some free entertainment and a way to cool down from the heat of the summer, take a stargazing trip. Just sit or lay back and let your mind wander.

I’m already looking forward to my next gaze into the heavens and hope to catch a few shooting stars — but I’m planning to take a blanket; dirt, gravel and goat heads do not make for comfortable seating.