Serene Silence

I wish I wasn't falling asleep to the groaning sound of the neighbor's generator. I actually wish I was falling asleep to the beautiful sound of nothingness, to the absolute sound of silence that Mother Nature seemed to grant over us in the past few days. Silence, darkness, and chilling cold air surrounded me. As eerie as it felt to drive from one end of Cheshire clear to the other without seeing a single welcoming light, it was also peaceful, and it was bright. The stars seemed to glisten brighter than I've ever seen them. I had yet another reality check and moment of pure gratitude, when I was reminded that despite being without electricity, I was not without food, family, and my home. Things can always, always be worse. It was a time to cleanse my soul. Before I snuck off to my warm, welcoming bed, I opened the front door and saw an abundance of stars twinkling above me. Stars were shining that I've never seen before, that have never been brighter than the light pollution underneath them. Stars that have never been strong enough to outdo the street lights, shined. Stars that will never be big enough to compete with the flood lights nearby, shined. New stars appeared and they all shined. Despite the town being pitch black for a few, quiet days, it was also brighter than ever.