As I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, I love traveling.  New sights, new sounds, even new smells.  The chance to experience another life from the inside out, even if only for a week, and gain a new perspective on the world.  It’s a precious gift BrightSide and I have shared for years now.

But there’s a joy in the returning home, too.  It feels like sliding out of a cool ocean and crossing warm, soft sand.  This is clearest when we move between extremes, returning from a busy trip or crowded city.  We step back into our lives, and this is what I see.

Hawks and vultures soaring overhead, feathers outlined against a clear blue sky.  Deer passing through the neighborhood in groups of three or four.  And stars…stars as far as the eye can see.  More stars than I ever imagined would hover above our home, along with a planet or two.

There’s nothing quite like coming back to crystal clear starry nights after a week of bright lights, big city.

My post as part of Colline’s Gratitude Project.