At the Speed of Light

Tonight I witnessed a sight most beautiful.


We had just spent the evening up in Laura with the guys from Group A.


It was late when we left for the long drive back to Rita.


Following Brennan's example, I laid flat on my back in the bed of the truck. Put my headphones on and listened to music that would compliment the moment.


And then I looked up.


As the overhanging veil of trees cleared, I saw into the depths of Space. Through aeons of stars.


The palm trees were a blur in the foreground and the background held a beauty that I had never appreciated as fully as I did in that moment.

From the flattest place on Earth, I could see the furthest into the Universe.

The longer I looked, the more I could see.


I spent much of my thought trying to figure out how I could describe what I was seeing.

I've conceded to the fact that it would be impossible to put it into words.


But I realized that, so often in life we spend so much of our time looking down at out feet, looking ahead at the future, or looking at the things behind, that we forget to just look up.

Above us is a sight that we can not fully fathom. And we never will. It is an endless expanse. And that, in a way, brings a sense of relief. There is no responsibility laid upon us to comprehend the entire Universe.

Just simply looking up invokes us to think deeply and to feel deeply.

And you'll breathe deeply. And then you breathe out.

And when the air escapes your lips, you understand.

You understand that you live in a universe far beyond anything you could ever imagine.

It is the easiest epiphany you could ever attain.




Because all you have to do is just look up.
















From the letters,


joel