"Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."-John Maxwell

(Full moon)

I was hanging out, doing homework, with my good friend Susie a few days back. She mentioned that there was going to be a chance to see the northern lights last Thursday and Friday. I didn't think too much about it because it is usually overcast in Juneau and we hardly ever see the Aurora Borealis.
Thursday evening came and the sky had never been more clear. Susie and I decided to drive out to the Mendenhall Glacier and see if we could spot the lights. First, we wanted to grab some snacks from the local grocery store. The roads were pretty bad, so we were taking it very slow. However, we noticed this cab driver following way to closely. He didn't pass us, he just wanted to give us problems. He started flashing his lights and speeding up, acting like he would hit us. I just ignored him. Turns out, he was going to the same grocery store that we were. At the stop sign before entering the store parking lot, he had trouble stopping behind me and almost rear-ended me. While it was a little frightening at first, it was funny to see his vehicle turned sideways in the road. Susie and I couldn't believe how ridiculous the driver was. We pulled into a parking spot and watched as the driver let out two high school aged girls. THEN, we were shocked he was driving so badly with passengers. We got out of the car and walked past the cab. I half expected him to scream or throw something at us. Then Susie pulled out her phone. She stopped right behind the cab and took a picture of his license plate. The driver panicked and sped off. thinking back, it still makes me giggle. Susie didn't get a clear shot of the letters and numbers, but maybe that driver will think twice before driving so poorly in such horrible conditions. I did feel bad for the girls who probably had to call for a new cab. I'm guessing that they ended up saving money since they most likely were waiting to pay the driver at the end of their return trip home. We think we did a good deed. Ha!
After checking out, we drove on to the glacier. To our surprise there was no one else around. It was only about 10Pm and we stayed there for less than an hour chatting and laughing before returning home. I was slightly disappointed but still happy that I had some good laughs. The next morning my roommate, Jamie, said she had heard people saw the lights the night before. My heart sank. I guess we didn't stay long enough because they decided to show their face around midnight.
All was not lost, Friday night showed a chance for us to see them again and thus when 10PM rolled around Susie and I headed back to the glacier with hot tea and snacks in hand. This time several vehicles were in the parking lot. The moon was high and bright. We waited for a while in the car. It was only 1 degree out and neither of us wanted to get sick. After chatting about boys and past relationships, hardships, racism, the Virgin Islands, sports, and the future, I was about to give up. I don't remember what conversation we were in the midst of but I know that we both spotted bright green lights coming over the mountain side. Susie and I jumped from the car and followed the path out to a resting area. It's hard to explain, but the resting area is usually where tourists sit in the summer to get a better picture of the glacier. It is away from the street lights and we thought we would be able to see the lights better. Because the moon was so bright, it made it hard to capture the lights on camera. Nevertheless, they were magnificent. (The best picture my tiny camera could get)

We got so excited we decided to do happy dances (plus we were cold and thought it would help keep us warm). A few seconds into the dance Susie stopped and was playing with her phone. Me, being the dork that I am, continued on with my wiggles. Turns out, Susie had noticed a guy standing a little bit behind us. I sure am glad that it was dark and he couldn't see my face! HA!
The lights faded for a second. Susie and I thought they were disappearing for good and started to head back in. Then they came out even stronger and greener as we hopped up and down with excitement. When the lights had faded for good, we left for the car watching over our shoulders the entire time to make sure we didn't miss a third showing. I can't explain what it's like to see them. (Susie had to get a picture of me in my Mizzou shirt!)

Sometimes the world feels so small and connected with humans running around destroying a lot of what makes this place beautiful. We have airplanes that can fly us around the country in a matter of hours. We have family in every state. We have friends who have shared their stories about other countries. You can research anything on the internet! The world feels so small at times. But seeing those lights was humbling. It made me feel tiny again, as if God were on the outside of our tiny world finger painting with green. With humbling moments comes that brief bit of clarity. You realize what matters and what does not. You realize that the people who make you happy are the ones who you should surround yourself with, and the ones who don't, you should cast away. We only have one life and if you're not dancing and laughing under the lights then you're not enjoying its full potential! Who cares about those watching in the background!