Spirit of the North: The Aurora Borealis

This was the moment I had been waiting for!  The ghostly band of green crept across the night sky mimicking a cloud. Were my eyes deceived: are there shades of red within that ephemeral green?  Am I really seeing it - the “northern lights” I have waited so long for?

The pale band suddenly exploded in front of us in radiant greens that danced across the vast northern skies. It twisted and twirled about us, the greens more dazzling than any photo can capture. And the stars! How they shone through that light show, not to be outdone by minute particles from the sun!

The undulations disappeared before our eyes, only to appear again to the sides or on top of us, thin wisps of an eternal ribbon of light that invade our spirits and draw our awestruck minds into other wondrous realms.

Hours went by in mere seconds and I was left wondering if we have been the chosen ones to see this display?  It will never come again quite like this, it will not dance the same dance nor waltz the same steps. The next display will be an entirely unique interaction of electrons hitting the Earth's atmosphere; or, is this the dance of light and dark that is gifted to each of us to teach us humility. Is this for us to feel awe and respect of our natural world?