As I was standing in my backyard this morning at 4am, watching the lunar eclipse, I realized that its been a long time since I stared into the night sky. Even in a light-polluted residential neighborhood, the amount of stars you can see once your eyes adjust is incredible. Its been a while since I've felt that weird feeling of cosmic scale. I felt awe when it hit me that I was standing in the same shadow as the moon. It all looks so far away yet so close.

The most incredible thing I noticed is that stars twinkle.

I forgot that stars twinkle

I've been so disconnected from the night sky that this just wasn't in my head. I found the little dipper and started looking around for other constellations when this hit me over the head. The immensity coupled with understanding that the Earth is the most special place in the known universe always make me feel insignificant but unbelievably lucky; lucky to be alive on this Pale Blue Dot.

I need to stargaze more.