It was 10:30pm when the oppressive summer heat finally gave way to cool night air that kept the mosquitoes at bay. I plopped down on a zero gravity chair in the middle of our deck, pushed back on the arms, and came face-to-face with a stunning, cloudless sky.

I can’t remember when I’ve seen stars so bright.

My plan was to catch the end of a meteor shower that started a few days earlier. So I settled into the chair, adjusted the pillow beneath my head, and made myself comfortable.

As I gazed up at the stars, I shifted my eyes this way and that, doing my best to take in the sky before me. I didn’t want to miss anything.

Ten minutes passed.

I focused more intently, widening my vision so I could see a broad view of the sky without having to move my head.

Five more minutes. Nada.

There’s nothing like waiting for a shooting star to remember what “attached to results” feels like.

Be patient, I told myself (about a hundred and fifty times). Let go of any expectations and enjoy the beauty of the night.

I took a few deep breaths as my mind began to wander. What’s happening out there in the wide-open spaces between the stars, I wondered? Is there anyone looking back at me? Where did life begin anyway?

Come back, I told my busy mind, be present for this experience.

But my existential inquiry continued…

How small of a speck am I on this revolving ball of a planet? Why are we here, really? Are the souls of deceased loved ones out there somewhere looking back at us?

Ten more minutes passed and still no sign of a shooting star. Disappointed, I figured I missed it, so I thought about going back into the house.

But something told me to stay.  An inner voice urged me to appreciate the solitude, to soak up the silence, and just be with the immense beauty of it all.

So I listened and lingered.

Over the next ten minutes or so, I melted into the Oneness before me. No agenda. No expectation. No need to see anything.

Just me hanging out under the stars.

And that’s when astonishment arrived.

For the next hour, I watched in amazement as the meteor shower above my head turned stardust into the most extraordinary entertainment. One meteor after another filled the night sky, some with long streams of light trailing behind.

It was magic – an experience I’ll always remember. All because I surrendered to the wise little voice inside.

photo by Kristopher Roller

Later that night, as I crawled into bed feeling wrapped in the love of the Universe, I thought about that quiet voice and how I need to pay more attention to her.

Slow down, she tells me, stay in one place for a while. Stop searching for what’s next all the time. Give life a chance to show up for you.

Such sage advice from an unseen friend.

I wonder what might happen if you listened to your wise little voice, and maybe stared at the stars for a while, too… 

xo Cheryl

PS – Our October “Self Care by the Sea” retreat still has some spots available and you can learn more about it and register, here.

PPS – There will be no Facebook Live this week. You can view past shows on my YouTube channel at CherylRichardsonTV here.

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