The Energy Trail

?Space travel has been in the news a lot here of late as two of the world’s richest men made trips to the heavens. Aside from fulfilling childhood dreams, stroking their enormous egos, or checking off a box on their bucket lists, I’m not quite sure what if anything their missions accomplished. But hey, I try to draw a positive out of every experience so maybe we should just file this one under you only live once and use it as a source of inspiration.

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Like a lot of other people, I watched the launches. I mean regardless of who was going, why they were going or what logo was painted on the side of the rocket, the specter of space travel is fascinating. As quiet as it’s kept, I teeter ever so closely to the edge of being a full-blown geek. But when it comes to anything space-related including travel, planets, black holes, and documentaries about little green men … I’m a geek … full-blown! That’s right, I’m a space geek. Aside from history, nothing captures my attention and imagination more than space.

?Now, as launches go, these two were rather tame. There were of course the bursts of flames followed by billows of smoke, the ground rumblings, and requisite noises that come when imagination and “what if” collide… but for me, something was missing. Don’t get me wrong, I was impressed. I mean, how could a man traveling to space not impress you? But something was missing.

?That something … was the darkness.

?Launches are incredible, but a nighttime launch, one that’s done in the darkness is a different type of incredible. At night, you still see the bursts of flames with billows of smoke. I’m sure the ground rumbles and all the noises, the ones when imagination and “what if” collide are present. But when a rocket launches in the dark, you get a chance to see the energy trail.

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The energy trail is defined as the mix of elements the rocket leaves behind as it pushes toward the heavens. Oxygen, hydrogen, helium, iron oxide, ammonium – they can all be found in the energy trail. ?It’s present during day launches … it’s just hard to see. But during the night, when things are dark, you can’t miss it. It’s beautiful, majestic even and it lingers, long after the ascension is complete, serving as a powerful reminder that the rocket was once here … promising us that we’ll see it again.

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?Losing a loved one is a lot like watching a rocket launch. I’ve seen three of these launches up close. Each time, the rocket took flight on a clear, picturesque, cloudless day. Even though they were leaving the flames of life still burned brightly because they weren’t dead, just moving on. Smoke billowed as they transformed into a beautiful new creation and their departure caused the ground around me, the foundation that they were so much a part of to shake … to rumble. Noises came from every which way and my imagination began colliding the sudden presence of “what if”. What if I never see him again … what if I never get to hold her again … smile at them again …?what if we never get to be the beautiful way, we once were again …?

?From there, the beautiful day, the one that was clear, cloudless, and picturesque turned dark … and that’s when I saw their energy trails. They were there during the light, but the darkness brought to life. The darkness lit a path that my heart quickly followed. Love, kindness, encouraging words, wisdom, and things that words can’t even describe were all there, lingering in a loving, powerful way.

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When you lose someone you love, the day can quickly turn to night; the light can quickly turn to dark. But while you’re in the night, while you’re in the darkness of loss, look to the heavens and find their energy trail. It serves as a powerful reminder that the rocket you loved so dearly was once here …

?Promising you that you’ll see that person again.?