A Night Spent Stargazing | Teen Ink

A Night Spent Stargazing

August 6, 2010
By Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran


I looked out my window late one evening, only to behold the largest and roundest moon that I had ever seen. Entranced by its beauty, I followed it out of my house and into the beginnings of nightfall. Out on my driveway, I laid myself upon the ground, the better to view the celestial scene which stretched far above me.

The sky was unbelievably clear. It was lit with myriads of tiny lights, which shone brightly between the deepest depths of darkness. I felt like I could see, with my eager eyes, every star that burned in the universe. It was easily the most beautiful sight that I had seen in nature for a long time. The stars were sprinkled, carelessly yet intricately, across the heavens. The moon was like the proud mother of them all, fixed resolutely in her place in the sky.

Suddenly, all of the stress that I had been carrying in my mind disappeared. I think there’s something about spending your solitude in a place of breathtaking beauty that seems to clear the blemishes from your troubled spirit. All my worries were melted away by a newfound feeling that was burning in my heart. I was witnessing something angelic, a miracle. An onlooker of something deeply great, who was I to bother with the trivial worries of my social life on the earth?

I spent many hours under the sky, awestruck. The street that runs beside my house was golden, lit only by a single lamppost. The houses were bathed in darkness. My mind was filled with great thoughts. My senses were sharpened; and I relished the chilly air, the rough asphalt, and the symphony of night. I could barely tear my eyes off of the moon, which was slowly and gracefully making its great journey across the sky. When I stumbled inside my house that night, I’ll bet my family saw something strange but vibrant in my eyes.

It is essential for all of us, as humans, to see things like this. This is what gives life its essence. I have never been the same person since that night, because something from somewhere visited me and left a vivid mark upon my soul. We must spend time in seclusion like this, regarding the greatness of a God given world. We must reflect upon ourselves and our lives, so that we may be possessed by something as great as what I saw in the sky that wonderful night.



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This article has 27 comments.


leafy said...
on Dec. 21 2011 at 4:14 pm
leafy, City, Other
0 articles 0 photos 682 comments

Favorite Quote:
Gil: I would like you to read my novel and get your opinion. 
Ernest Hemingway: I hate it. 
Gil: You haven't even read it yet. 
Ernest Hemingway: If it's bad, I'll hate it. If it's good, then I'll be envious and hate it even more. You don't want the opinion of another writer. 

There's something, ah, soothing and blissful about stargazing, isn't it?... I have many happy memories about the beach, and one of my earliest is when I was jerked awake by my mom, who led me out in the porch to see all the stars...I would hate to live in a city, cursed with perpetual smog to smother the view of the heavenly bodies' dance.

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 24 2011 at 2:06 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

Too bad we couldn't see it from the house. :(

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 24 2011 at 2:05 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

Too bad we couldn't see it from the hpuse. :(

on Jul. 24 2011 at 11:56 am
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

I've seen a few very much like that one, and it's almost impossible for me to tear away my gaze from the moon at times like that. It's really something to be grateful for... :)

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 24 2011 at 3:14 am
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

I was just riding from the arcade(they have a sweet arcade here, over where I'm from, we don't have good ones) and I just saw a very beautiful moon like a harvest moon, low on the sky and very orange. Beautiful.

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 23 2011 at 12:56 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

Ok.

I really like that, peering into the infinite. :)


on Jul. 23 2011 at 11:01 am
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

Oh, I'm glad! So few people are observant enough to appreciate the moon. Quite sad.

And, also, I strongly encourage you to pick up your old 'obsession.' Even when there are few stars in the sky, I like to look into the blackness because I can tell myself that I'm peering into the infinite. :)


Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 23 2011 at 12:58 am
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

The picture goes really well. :)

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 23 2011 at 12:58 am
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

I was just camping in Oregan and I saw the most beautful moon I had ever seen.

I adore the moon!

When was nine, I was obsessed with star-gazing but then I got too fruserated with never seeing any good constellations so I quit. But your work just might have inspired me to pick it up again.


on Jul. 5 2011 at 9:53 am
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

Of course you may be so bold as to do so!

That indeed, is a very curious quote, and one that I find myself agreeing with. I must think about that more (hmmmmmm).

"The more we see, the more we have to see." Ha! Such truth to that, my friend!


on Jul. 4 2011 at 7:09 pm
Destinee BRONZE, Oakville, Other
3 articles 0 photos 303 comments

Favorite Quote:
Blegh. - Abraham Lincoln

I read a lovely quote that I think you might appreciate, my friend (if I may be so bold as to call you that): "Real virtue is the humility that comes with knowledge." 

The more we see, the more we have to see. 

on Oct. 27 2010 at 8:19 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

I know a silent raven, you're looking straight at him.

on Oct. 11 2010 at 11:35 am
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

I have a sneaking suspicion that you're also the Spanish guy and man 'with a very tall hat.' I agree with you; that's what makes me unique, see? Your last line is rather disturbing, however. The door is to your right.

Anonymous said...
on Oct. 9 2010 at 8:12 pm

you do know that ravens are actually quite noisy, right? Some squak. Other coo. Others flaps their wings loudly. Ravens are hardly ever silent.

 

Except when they're dead.


on Oct. 7 2010 at 9:40 am
A_shy_dove GOLD, Hubli, Other
10 articles 1 photo 76 comments

Favorite Quote:
Never compare your life with others, as you have no idea what their journey is all about.

Yes. Indeed you are a constant onlooker. Your many other works express this very loudly.

on Oct. 6 2010 at 4:47 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

cпасибо, my dear Dove. I deeply appreciate each of the twenty three e's in the word 'very' and your kind-hearted praise.

I consider myself to be a good observer, a constant onlooker, in fact.


on Oct. 6 2010 at 10:11 am
A_shy_dove GOLD, Hubli, Other
10 articles 1 photo 76 comments

Favorite Quote:
Never compare your life with others, as you have no idea what their journey is all about.

Wonderful. You are a very good observer. I loved it. veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery nice work!!

on Sep. 20 2010 at 6:15 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

Aw, thank you, I like to do everything from the heart.

on Sep. 20 2010 at 5:21 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

Thanks so much, Ms. Stargirl! I'm glad that you saw my point. Let me say, you're such a thoughtful commentor (on all of my work!). Some just say, 'Good stuff! Read mine?' It makes a difference that you take the kinder effort.

on Sep. 20 2010 at 4:12 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

Okay, I personally don't understand why this wasn't published in the mag. Geeze.

This is terribly beautiful, and I agree with your point.