Orion

The constellation of Orion has been my favorite constellation for as long as I can remember. Perhaps it was because it was always with me while I was growing up, or because it was the easiest constellation to recognize, aside from the Big Dipper. When I moved to Idaho, I was disappointed to find that Orion only comes out in the winter time.

Last night, I pulled some blankets and pillows onto the trampoline in the back yard. I watched the full moon, all halos, blotches and smears of light to my astigmatic eyes. I also watched the silhouette of the girl next door as she played with her hair for what seemed an hour. I didn't feel much like a peeping tom since I could only see the shadowy outline of her head and hands, but I didn't push my luck. I focused on the moon and eventually went to sleep.

It's beginning to get colder outside. I woke up in the middle of the night, surprisingly snug and toasty warm, save for my face, which was frozen. The first thing I saw when I woke was a broad, starry field, surprisingly undimmed by the same city lights that had dulled it only hours before. The moon was gone, and in its place was Orion.

I was surprised. I figured I wouldn't see it again until winter, but there it was, shining in a subtle, muted sharpness in the 3 AM-ish sky. Orion has always been a sort of touchstone for me, a reminder that I'm still on Earth, that I'm still me, and that all of my memories really took place. When I look at Orion, I invariably find myself sitting on the grass and staring up at it. Memories of past sittings, conversations, and mythological explanations found in musty old books from my junior high library like to swim around in my head at these times.

In the winter, it's not easy to find a comfy place to recline, so I was grateful to have seen it this morning/night. A good sign that follows a full moon is great news indeed... I wonder what the day will bring.