Good afternoon Ralph. Below is a poem, inspired by our visit to your place.

Could I ever be the same?

Most nights when the sun goes down,
We pull the blinds down tight,
We check the locks on the doors,
We change from our day clothes,
Into our clothes of the night.
But tonight would be different,
We would open our eyes,
We would witness the majesty,
That we usually hide from our sight.

Yes, tonight would be different,
We were far from man’s electric lights.
And tonight we would venture into the mysterious dark night, with our hats and gloves, and our coats buttoned up tight, we would look up, and witness Your artistry and Creations stars so bright.

We saw shooting stars, and twinkling stars of the night, the Big Dipper, and the Milky Way, a galaxy so enormous we can actually see the very galaxy we are in. This galaxy that seems so large, is just one of trillions, my mind finds this so hard to comprehend. And then a greenish blue hue covers the sky, a tear escapes from the corner of my eye, I breathe in deeply, then let it out slowly with an awestruck sigh. We heard the calls of celebration as a pack of coyotes sounded their victory cry.

I am struck by the gift of this glorious dark night.  I lay down in the soft warm bed, my mind recalling this evening’s cosmic flight. All of my worries now far from my sight. For a moment, I forget man’s power hungry plight.

We woke the next morning to frost on the ground, Someone had spent the night, painting white delicate crystals on all the grasses and plant life that surrounds, then I heard a chattering sound, the belted kingfisher was singing its death call, breakfast would soon be found.

For a short while, I had remembered the garden, like it was the first day, no longer seen as a commodity, but a place of connection, a place of wonderment, a place where my spirit can still play.

As I took a breath in, I could feel Your coolness in my nostrils and lungs, and for a moment, in my exhales I could see Your glorious name. Experiencing moments like this, could I ever be the same?