30 Days of Gratitude: Day 11

Northern Lights and Star-Lit Skies

I received photos from friends who saw the Northern Lights. The images were beautiful. These lights are among the most stunning natural phenomena, with the dancing and shimmering waves of reds, greens, and pinkish-purple across the sky. The display is known as Aurora Borealis in the north and Aurora Australis in the south. It is caused by charged particles from the sun flowing toward Earth and becoming trapped in Earth's magnetic field.

Looking up at the sky to see the northern lights or just to look at the stars is so good for your mental health. Stargazing has been proven to help reduce inflammation (through the feeling of awe), lower heart rate, and increase oxytocin levels, which boost positive emotions. For those who may struggle with depression, anxiety, or other mood disorders, one often is more hyper-focused on oneself. Taking a moment to go outside at night and look at the stars, one cannot help but be intrigued by the understanding that there is always something out there bigger than us. Thinking of the positive attributes of being able to step away from the anxiety or other stressors of the world that have us plagued in darkness, and look at the amount of beautiful light that surrounds us. Looking into the great unknown makes all of our "mortal earthly problems" seem less daunting.

I listened to a bit by Mark Lowry about a dinner party he hosted at his new house. They got into politics, and Mark spoke about his biblical principles playing a role in his decision-making when voting. He found out that a person at his table was an Athiest. Instead of trying to change his mind, he spoke to this person about how he (Mark) didn't have enough faith to think that the world around us was produced by a gaseous belch in the universe. He (Mark) didn't have enough faith to believe the order of the universe, including the stars, came from chaos. He talked about taking off his watch, tearing it apart, putting the parts in a bag, and shaking it for hundreds of years. His question was: What is the likelihood that his watch would come out of that bag reassembled?

The northern lights and the stars give us a reminder that there is something, SOMEONE, bigger than us out there. Perhaps being grateful for some of the ways The Creator chose to give us reminders of his existence would help ground us while on earth.