Sun setting on Squam Lake
““There is time not only to see who has done what, but to speculate why”.
-Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac
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Do you ever just take a moment? Just a moment to reflect, to feel small, to breathe. The Squam Lakes Conservation Society annual meeting, August 15th, was a date burned into most of our minds. From phone interviews discussing the exciting Sixtieth Anniversary, to dropping off banners in late July, to the butterflies the morning of. August 15th was the day to celebrate hard work that has paid off over the years. To celebrate the first conservation group on the lake, the first and only Sixtieth Anniversary. August 15th was definitely an important date. Instagram, Facebook, Holderness Library, Squam Lakes Association and Conservation Society, were all in on the act, decorated with “Night with our Stars” reminders. When the night of August 15th rolled around, while it was not shocking, there was a sense of disbelief for how quickly time moved. Starting off with a flicker here and there, I watched as in unison the watershed residents turned off their lights. 8:58...8:59... then as if a power-outage struck the lake. All together, all at once, the lights turned off. The clouds opened up allowing for the Milky Way to expose (or spill?) its glory. Car lights on the opposite side of the lake were glaring. Each random flicker of artificial light seemed to have more power than ever before.
So, I took a moment. I took a moment to allow the discomfort of time and space to kick in. Allowed myself to be annoyed by the artificial lights. Allowed myself to be in awe over my first shooting star, the second and the third. Allowed myself to feel so distant from the stars yet so close to the community around me. Startled by the boat house light pulling me out from my trance, I was disappointed that my hour of star-gazing had been interrupted, only to see that it was 10:08pm. Time for lights to go back on and the world to continue moving. For those short sixty minutes, between the trees, above the lake and underneath the stars, everything was still. While existing among those species wide awake and those fast asleep, I had the privilege of taking part. I got to sit among the nocturnal beasts stretching in their morning moon and yawn with the diurnals who curled up for bed. I had the honor of seeing the watershed turn off their lights and become more aware. I was able to watch, and be a part of, a community that is willing to turn off their lights in support of the stars, for the support of the moon, and most importantly, for the support for conservation.
Black bear caught on game camera at Doublehead.
Sophie is serving with the Squam Lakes Conservation Society. In her off time, you may find her making apple-flavored pastries, or walking her cat Rain. You can learn more about Sophie here!