CONNECTEDNESS

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 221

I think by now, most of you know that standing under the canopy of a cloudless, starry night causes my soul so much wonder and joy. I look up and I wonder: God, how did you do all that? We hear from Amos (5:8),

"The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the water of the sea and pours it out over the surface of the earth— the LORD is his name."

I think my fascination for the night sky has always been there, but perhaps asleep for the longest time—that is, until we moved to Nebraska. Never until moving to Harlan County had I seen the Milky Way with my naked eye. But whoa boy, when my buddy Charlie pointed it out, I was hooked.

From that moment, I only wanted to focus my camera lens on the heavens. While I enjoyed taking portraits and the like, landscapes juxtaposed against the Milky Way was where it was at. Out there in the Cornhusker state, I was spoiled; I only had to drive 15 miles to some of the darkest skies imaginable. But here in the North Star state, that drive increases by 2-3 hours. Uffdah, right?

Now, don’t get me wrong, Minnesota has some super dark skies too. Voyageurs National Park (up der near da Canadian border, ya know) is among the darkest in the nation. East of Comfrey, the skies are heavily polluted with light (all the way to the Atlantic). West of us, the skies gradually get darker—well, that is until you come to a city of any size, then all bets are off.

Regardless, light pollution is a growing problem in our world. The growing, human-made illumination of our planet is causing increased disruptions to our physiology and emotional wellbeing, while also disturbing wildlife migration patterns (in some cases leading to species endangerment). While I’m not a full-on conservationist, in this one area, I don’t mind standing on my soapbox. I’m starting to do that and lose my focus here. Sorry, but not sorry!

Anywho… my pull toward darker skies and the ability to capture the night sky against the growing glow of the heavens has led me to add weight to my camera bag.

For the longest time, I kept hearing about how star trackers greatly help with lighting issues. So, as you heard the other night, I pulled the trigger and made a star tracker purchase. And while I was thinking I was done (spending money), that hope was just that… One first-world “problem” persisted: my lens.

Now, don’t get me wrong; ain’t nothing wrong with my nightscape lens, other than it’s a BEAST. The lens works great, but Geez O’ Pete’s, it’s as heavy as a 3lb dumbbell. Truly! Knowing this, and the stress it causes to my equipment, I began the search for a new lens.

Well, one influencer I follow is also a Canon shooter, and he’s mighty good at his craft. And, come to find out, he’s a Navy vet like me. But, knowing he’s a professional photographer and his YouTube following is huge, I almost didn’t reach out to him, thinking I’d never hear back. But… today I took the chance. I emailed him and asked what he knew about the lens I’ve been researching for weeks.

And lo and behold, Brent emailed me back—quickly I might add. His reply sparked a conversation that went back and forth for a couple hours. He too had a love for all things aviation; he too loves the night sky; and he especially advocates for conservation of God’s creation. While I don’t know what Brent believes (eternally speaking), we had this camaraderie going today, and for that, I thank the Lord.

God made us as hoomans to be connected to one another; and that’s uber-important. The more points of connection we have with one another, the stronger the bonds, and the more likely we are to reach others for the Lord.

I don’t know what plans the Lord has for Brent and for me; if our conversations today were merely a one-off, or something more. That said, I’m thankful for that new connection. I’m thankful Brent is my swabbie brother in arms. I’m grateful for his love for conservation; and I’m grateful he graciously replied to my question (in the middle of a workday nonetheless).

And… about that. I done did that too. I pulled the trigger and ordered a faster, lighter, and more precise lens. All’s I can say is: thank goodness for interest-free financing too. Hahaha!!! (I think I need a Patreon account to help with my obsession).

So, sound off! What are you thankful for today?