After my grandma died.....

Originally posted by tsawyer2


It's amazing to me what a profound experience looking at the night sky can be. It's too bad that not everyone can see the night sky without the interference of city lights. I guess I'm fortunate that I've been healthy enough and motivated enough to go backpacking throughout the years to places where the night sky can be viewed in it's real glory.

I know exactly what you mean. I'm one of those people who's nightly view of the sky is diminished by city/town lights. Although at least once each summer me and a longtime friend of mine head up to his cottage with other buddies of ours. It's not the typical modern day "mini subdivision" cottage either, it's pretty much the definition of isolated. It's a 5 hour drive to get to the marina where he keeps his boat, then another hour long boat ride across the lake to get to the cottage itself. There's nobody around for miles and miles once we're there. Civilization is nothing but a distant memory up there. It's our annual FIA (f*** it all) guy's weekend, we just go relax and forget about the world for a few days. And man, I gotta tell you the view of the night sky up there is simply majestic. There's something special about doing nothing but sitting on the dock with a cold beer, listening to the sounds of the wilderness around us, and just gazing up at the stars. Maybe it's just me, but I can't think of anything else that's as refreshing as that.

But back on topic...

I don't have any specific star or constellation that I've related to a loved one who has passed away. But the stars themselves in general are tied to my memory of my grandfather who passed away back in '91. Gramps used to have a saying that we'd hear regularly, whenever talk of some new fancy TV or any other new bit of technology came up. His saying went like this..."I don't need none of that fancy mumbo jumbo to be a happy man. I've got good friends and a great family. I've got the moon and the stars to ease my mind and help me think. I'm a happy man, what else could I possibly need?" And it was true. He was always a humble man, a happy man. And I'm positive that's exactly how he felt when he crossed over.

It's a saying that has stuck with me throughout my life, it keeps me level headed and helps me remember what is most important in life. And it's one that is forever tied to the night sky for me. Whenever I look up at the stars, it doesn't matter what sort of mood I'm in, that memory just brings me back down to Earth and puts me at ease. Of course that's also a leading factor as to why the guy's cottage weekends I described above are so refreshing and invigorating for me.

Originally posted by Griff56

It's a saying that has stuck with me throughout my life, it keeps me level headed and helps me remember what is most important in life. And it's one that is forever tied to the night sky for me. Whenever I look up at the stars, it doesn't matter what sort of mood I'm in, that memory just brings me back down to Earth and puts me at ease.

Perhaps we tie the night sky and the stars to favorite memories because both are something that is a constant for us. The night sky doesn't change much over the course of our short time here and those types of memories are imprinted indelibly in ourselves. Also, the night sky grounds us because it reminds us how small we really are in the entire scheme of things.

I wrote a poem a number of years ago called Small Fire, Immense Sky. I wrote it while on a solo backpacking trip to the Uwharrie Mountains here in North Carolina. It was January, but was warm enough for me to sleep outside next to my small campfire. As I lay next to my small fire in my sleeping bag I could look at the night sky above me. It was a humbling experience. I'll have to dig it up and post it here sometime.

Originally posted by Weeeden
I swear, sometimes I can feel her fingers run thru my hair the way she used to do it..
It might all be a bit crazy, or completely un-related, I don't know, but I just had to post it somewhere and see what others thought..

Weeeden you must have loved each other very much.

I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm also happy you spent some wonderful moments with her and that you still do.

Hugs and love from Whateva