When I started the memoir, “The Night Sky” by Lina Osmundson, I thought it would be all about religion and entrap me in confusion but it wasn’t and didn’t. It was about the author listening to two people’s conversation on her porch. They were talking about God and the author, who was a believer, contemplated on it. The people then moved on to other topics with the author “nodding along to their conversation.” Then, a moth lands on a table and they all take a moment to stare. The author was entranced and calmed by its beauty but the moment was ruined when it went into the campfire in front of the porch. Lina then ends the memoir on a reflection of, as she believes it, frightening death. These kinds of feelings are relatable, especially to me, which makes this a wonderful piece.
     The way the author includes thoughtful reflections also makes the piece very enjoyable. From the question of being religious when the author said, “What if I believe in God for the wrong reason: fear of death?” to the powerful lines, “In a fraction of a second, the moth’s life burned into nothingness. No time to save it, but endless time to contemplate it,” the memoir greatly embodies Lina’s opinion on life. Although I don’t know her very well, I have the same thoughts as Lina time to time and am religious as well. The two quotes above were ones that struck me hard and made me tear up a little. To believe that death is imminent yet indefinite is a hard-to-process thought that causes uneasiness and so much worry, it feels like you can’t breathe; that’s how I feel and I’m sure Lina can relate whenever it happens. However, I wouldn’t know that others would feel the same if it wasn’t for Lina’s “The Night Sky,” so I want to say thanks for letting me read a piece that helped me learn and could relate to.