I went hunting and purposely didn’t bring a shotgun.
You should know that I’m a trained hunter. My education came from living all those years in Alaska. I went hunting but I didn’t apply for or bring a license. I didn’t get my name drawn at a lottery to shoot. I’m just blessed like that, I guess. I didn’t need to take a trip to Scheel’s to procure any camouflage anythings. There was no need to wear day-glow orange for the hunting I was about to partake in. I did put lipstick on for this hunt but only because I’m vain like. If putting lipstick on at 10:30 at night isn’t peculiar enough – how odd that I had started my trusted Toyota FJ to take me a’hunting! I did bring a survival bag that had apple juice, insulin and lip-gloss just in case I had a diabetic low or high and my lips got dry.
I pulled out of the driveway and watched my vehicle’s compass take me north/northwest. I wouldn’t need binoculars for this hunt. My eyes have built in night vision for the predator I was about to shoot. Those pesky wind towers with the flashing red lights were scaring the things I was hunting away – so I drove far north and past them until I was somewhere north of Cooperstown, ND. In the solitude of the dark, cool, clear windless night – I saw them.
An entire herd of aurora borealises right before my very eyes! I grabbed my shooting device and loaded it with the proper ISO. Then I stopped. I really just had to be still, lift my arms and praise the God who chose me to witness the waltz of the northern lights. As I praised alone there, I turned my head to see that just above me and a wee bit to my left – the little dipper stood watch over me. I imagined it as a ladle dripping this blessing of the auroras upon me.
I took hundreds of photos just because it’s such a magical phenomenon to stand witness to. I’m older now and hunting the auroras takes a toll on me. I was getting cold and just like I was nudged to hunt this late at night consumed me – so too was the nudge to return the miles home to sleep did. I pulled into my house and looked up. The auroras followed me home. I pushed the button on my camera and now I have proof that God is a playful, whimsical entity. I should quite like to invent new adjectives when the usual ones don’t seem strong and powerful enough to effectively communicate the “wow” of it all! I walked back to turn my Toyota and her headlights off. What I can never turn off are the visions of dancing, colored lights that did a ballet right before my very eyes.
My next hunt will be for spring rainbows though I’m not searching for gold at the end. I’ve already received the treasures of life. I only pray that the little vision I have left never leaves me. Lord, help me always to hunt for You and Your light in every situation as I thank You for this very successful hunt of the auroras. That You gave me this opportunity under the protection of You and the little dipper with the big personality! Just wow wee! What a night!
It was in my search for the darkest place that I found the most magnificent light! Whoa! That’s a powerful lesson to each of us!
The Blonde on the Prairie is a lover of ND. She is an author and motivational speaker, owner of “Monkey Balls” food truck and Joyologist to the elderly and disabled.
