Winter Holiday
by Gail Lang - part 2 of 2

Evening approached quickly, causing Rod and I to return to our campsite, get the fire going and prepare supper. It would only be a matter of time before the children's excitement ebbed enough for them to remember their hunger. Supper was simple, no sense in getting carried away. We broke out the sticks, and Rex and Roy were put in charge of roasting the sausages while I heated the soup in the cans. It's good to have hot food to help take off the chill, but it doesn't have to be difficult. I didn't even bother with pans. I simply cut open the tops of the cans and put them in the fire.

After supper and cleanup, we took turns roasting marshmallows while watching the fire and the stars. Sitting atop the dunes offered a view of the heavens in all its glory. I found it peaceful to sit quietly and care for the fire, watching as its flames flickered upwards in the darkness. There is such beauty to be found within the flames. It can be almost hypnotic at times. Anyone that has ever sat at a fireplace and watched as the flames magically danced over the logs would understand.

I was interrupted from my daydreams as Reyna ran excitedly through the brush calling for me to come. She did not know what it was but the dark starry horizon had become quite colorful and beautiful. She had read about the aurora borealis over Alaska but had never seen anything like it. She couldn't explain what she was seeing other than it must be as beautiful as that. She kept rattling on excitedly, so I thought it best to see.

I never had imagined a moon rise over the ocean could be such a spectacular display of beauty and color. I've watched many beautiful sunrises and sunsets, but never a moonrise. It burst across the horizon with hues and colors to rival the best Sunset; and just as you thought it could not possibly be more beautiful, a full moon began to come over the ocean like a light being slowly drawn up. How could we have been so fortunate? I sat on the dune with the children, all of us awed by the site. If you've never spent a night on the beach, you can't imagine the beauty of a moonrise over the ocean! No one spoke a word. We just huddled together for warmth, silently watching as time brought on the magic, colors disappeared back into the night, and the moon shone bright and full in the dark sky.

Rod and I returned to the dune later, after the children had been put down for the night. We sat together under the moon and stars on the dune. No words were needed. Moments like this were meant to be shared in silence.

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