A Night at the Museum

My family and I had just gone out to dinner at Izakaya Den on Pearl Street to celebrate my mom's birthday. Not only was my immediate family there, but my aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandparents were all there as well. We shared a really nice meal together, but afterwards, my mom mentioned that she wanted to end the night by spending some time with just my dad, brother, and me. 

Luckily, I remembered that one of my friends had mentioned the Observatory Open House and I suggested that we stop by for a few minutes. Although I had planned on going to the park for my journal the next morning, the timing ended up working out perfectly.

My younger brother (a fantastic parallel parker, unlike me) parked our car next to the observatory and we all piled out onto the sidewalk. To my surpirse, the park was far busier tonight than I had ever seen it during the daytime. As I led my family through the park to the front steps of the observatory, I couldn't help but feel proud to show the park off to them. I have gained so much appreciation for this area and it meant a lot to me to get the opportunity to share it with my family, especially since my parents hadn't been in over 20 years. 

In front of the observatory, several people had set up their own personal telescopes on the lawn. They were all extremely friendly and they even allowed us to use the telescopes to take a look at Saturn. I felt oddly connected to these strangers who were sharing their telescopes with us. Our universe is so vast and it was special to appreciate this fact alongside other people. I was reminded about how insignificant many of my daily worries are. Ultimately we're all just trying our best to enjoy our brief time on this floating rock called Earth. 

When we entered the observatory itself, payment wasn't required, so instead, we donated to the Denver Astronomical Society. We were able to walk through the observatory, which I had never been in, and learn about astronomy. I noticed that the demographic of people attending the Open House was extremely diverse. I saw a young boy, no older than five, with his mom. I saw an elderly woman in a wheelchair with her husband pushing her along. There was a young couple on a date, and even a few DU students in the mix. 

Again, I was struck by how connected we are when we take the time to appreciate the night sky. No matter what walk of life we are in, nature will always be our common ground.