By mid October, sunrise is late enough that I must haul the garbage down to the curb in the dark. This morning, that fact was especially rewarding.
To the east, a Cheshire moon smiled above bright Venus. To the south, Orion the Hunter warned of the coming winter, trailed by his faithful hound Sirius. To the west, the Red Planet (Mars) gleamed above the invisible mountains, now in direct opposition to the Sun. And finally, a bowl of distant suns speckled the dark sky, shining through the clear, chilly October air.
Trash day may be a human routine but, from October through February, it can remind us of our relative insignificance. At the very least, it may prove to be an inspiring chore.
