The summer night

Night, when words fade and things come alive. - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Last night I was awake late into the night, sitting quietly on the bed, the room fully darkened except for the glow of the laptop screen, the sound of Hunter breathing evenly in his sleep. Sending a few email thoughts to loved ones. Though it's been two months since solstice, mid-August still surprises me in the sudden sense of moving from summer's endless days to the long dark hours that will overtake us soon. These nights are like dipping one's foot into the cold water to prepare for the eventual immersion.

The summer night is like a perfection of thought. - Wallace Stevens

Spending last summer back East, I enjoyed the nights especially (where one can watch the stars without freezing) but always had my eye on that north star. I'm close enough to the inlet's edge to see quite a few stars not overtaken by the city's ambience. It's not the same as sitting on the steps of my mountain cabin in subzero temperatures, watching the dazzling display and filling my soul with that peace and nearly touchable clarity. But near enough to know that they are still there and not fully beyond my grasp.