Wrenshall news

In 1914 Emily Dickenson wrote about the feelings that follow suffering. Whatever your political party, this year's election has been painful. This Sunday marks the new moon and it's a wonderful time to look up and enjoy the vast expanse of cosmos that connects us all. While this is a column about Wrenshall news, the stars that I look at in my backyard are the same ones that someone in Carlton or Esko enjoy.

One of our family's favorite activities is to track the International Space Station as it regularly passes overhead. With the sun reflecting off its solar panels in the dark sky, the ISS looks like a moving star in the night. The best way to find it is to visit NASA's tracker site at spotthestation.nasa.gov. It will give you optimal viewing times based on your location. In Wrenshall, for instance, look in the southern sky at 6:04 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19 to catch a glimpse.

This month marks the 20th anniversary of human presence in the station, with 241 individuals from 19 countries having been aboard. The current crew consists of two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut. The two men and one woman orbit the earth 16 times a day, passing through 16 sunrises and sunsets. It is a scientific marvel, and seeing this small dot pass by reminds me of the capacity of human imagination and ingenuity. It gives me a small dot of hope for what we can envision and accomplish together.

After great pain, a formal feeling comes

By Emily Dickinson

After great pain, a formal feeling comes –

The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs –

The stiff Heart questions 'was it He, that bore,'

And 'Yesterday, or Centuries before'?

The Feet, mechanical, go round –

A Wooden way

Of Ground, or Air, or Ought –

Regardless grown,

A Quartz contentment, like a stone –

This is the Hour of Lead –

Remembered, if outlived,

As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow –

First – Chill – then Stupor – then the letting go –