Seen an Aurora and Not have to "Chase" One

My Aurora Chasing Night

I took for granted to many years ago when I would see the aurora.  Living out in the country all my life (up until that point) I figured everyone had seen one.  I mean, I wonder how many times I would look to the north and think, "oh, Northern Lights.........again"  I never really took time to look them because I probably thought they will always be there.  It's like seeing the colors of the trees change every fall.  Most of the time you never really stop to look at them because you think, well it happens every year.  I'll see it again next year.  But what if they stopped changing?  What if you moved to a tropical place next year?  I bet you'd miss those changing colors.  (side note here, we had a beautiful maple that turned a bright red every fall down in Minneapolis and Kaitlyn took pictures by it ever year. We would have moved that tree with us if we could have).

Best Picture I took (I think)

Well, I miss seeing the aurora.  Maybe it's the science geek that comes out in me but I miss seeing the different colors and wondering what is happening in space to create those ribbons of light.  It was to the point where, after hearing of a mass ejection from the Sun this winter, I patiently watched online for the numbers to be right, drove east of town at 12:30........AM to take watch the aurora and try to take pictures (side note number 2, I need to learn how to use a camera better).  It was so cool.  I sat there for an hour and a half just looking up at the light streak by, imagining the science of what is happening and how neat our universe is.  I had taken it for granted so many years ago.

Need to learn to use a camera better

For whatever reason, I do remember one particular time when we came home from Julius Vetters one winter's night and the Northern Lights were going crazy.  I watched out the back of the car as we drove home and looked to the north after we got home. I paused for a moment on that clear, cold, dark night and thought how cool it was and wondered how exactly those lights occurred. Then quickly thinking I am tired and I'll see them again some other night most likely.  Now I have to watch certain internet sites and drive out of town when the time is right.  I wish I could just look out my bathroom window again and spot them without warning.  One big present that would show up out my window without even telling me.  I know what I would do now.  I would go out and take it all in.

So make sure you do.  Take it all in.  Life is as it is and you might miss the beauty. You never know, the leaves may not change this fall.