Ten years ago, I learned an important lesson: take
time to enjoy the moment.
I was making my way to work in northern rural
Ontario. At the beginning of a 4-hour
drive late at night, I had seen in the distance streaks of green. A delayed
flight lengthened my night. No time to
pause--I hurried on. I discovered the next day that the previous night’s aurora
borealis was one of the most spectacular in decades. Just a few minutes pause
would have given me an unforgettable sight.
Instead, I received an unforgettable lesson.
Fast forward 10 years. Local radio announces that clear skies and
high solar activity predict excellent aurora viewing tonight. I set my alarm for wee o’clock. At wee o’clock, my body wanted to continue
its slumber. I finally dug myself out of
bed at 3 a.m., snuggled into my parka, and headed out.
Leaving civilization was an easy feat in
Atikokan—2 km drive up the road and I was enveloped in complete darkness. Except for the skies. Car lights dimmed. Eyes adjust.
I look north. Spectacular! The lights danced fluidly between pulses,
quite different from the faint streaks I had expected. No regrets over lost sleep. One regret: I could not record this on
camera.
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