Star gazing.

I was born and raised in northern Michigan in the country.

On any given night I could look up at the sky and see a sea of stars.

They have always been there, and as far as I was concerned, always would be.

The summer after 8th grade my parents, brother and I took a trip to Vegas and the Grand Canyon.

While on a slow rafting type trip down a major river with a tour guide and other travelers one middle to late aged woman asked the tour guide, "Is it true you can see the stars out at night here?"

It took a lot for my family to not laugh.

How absurd a thought.

Why wouldn't you be able to see the stars? My parents later explained to my brother and I that maybe she was from a big city where the lights and pollution block out the stars.

Today while on break from Digital Fundamentals I chatted with Kristy, a classmate. She grew up in Warren, lived in NYC for 10 years, and now is back in Detroit area studying at CCS.

When I told her I'm from Alpena, she had the same sort of reaction, "I heard you can see the stars up north."

I said yea, and realized that for 20 years I've been taking stars for granted. 

It's true, in the city the stars are faint and few.

Next time I return home, I'll be sure to take a nice long look at the stars.

-Roz