One of the things I remember from when I was quite young is that I was always fascinated by the stars. If I was in a place without much light pollution where the sky seemed so much fuller than in the city, I could gaze up at the sky for what seemed like hours, just looking, taking in that beauty, letting it amaze me, take my breath away. I would hope for a shooting star or try to recognize a cluster of stars that I had seen before. I always felt so small underneath a starry sky, and yet also free – like somehow there was more room to breathe. That’s also one reason I love sleeping outside. On a balcony, in the garden, in a park, on a hill or in the woods – just about anywhere as long a I can see the sky above me. And so a couple weeks ago, while visiting a friend with a beautiful large terrace, I didn’t hesitate to spontaneously stay the night and sleep outside, enjoying the view of the sunrise over the rooftops in the morning. Right now, I’m out camping with friends (in the Black Forest! More on that later) – but somehow staying in a tent, though awesome, still isn’t the same as being outside for real. So last night, I put my sleeping bag next to the tent, looked up at the stars, and felt a sense of capturing beauty and a little bit of freedom at the same time. And a little taste of home.
