Living in Vermont has its perks. The cheese, ice cream, community, farmers’ markets etc. are just a few that I can think of. One of the best things about living here, however, is the natural beauty. The sunsets are glorious and the views breathtaking. A couple of nights ago my friends and I watched the fireflies dance through the fields behind the Organic Farm. Last night, we went to the top of Bicentennial Hall (also known as BiHall) and watched the night sky. It was amazing to see Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and various stars through the telescopes on the top of the roof.

I love the vast beauty of the night sky. When I look at it I feel incredibly minuscule, but I also get a sense of empowerment. Think of how much is out there! Can you fathom the age of those stars? Think about the fact that humans have been around for only a brief amount of time, and yet we have already discovered so much. I find though, that the more we discover, the more questions we ask. It is impossible to know everything but it is really powerful that we can try and understand at least a small portion of it.

I was reminded of size and scale. There are different things that you see when you are on a roof than when you have your feet firmly planted on the ground. Both offer different views. From the roof you can’t see the fireflies and from the ground you can’t see the light from the setting sun illuminate the edges of the clouds. In order to get a more complete picture of the world you definitely need to see things from various heights, angles, and perspectives.