“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – The Little Prince

As I tried to finish out my work day, I could tell that I was missing a gorgeous sky show outside. Admittedly, this time of year always brings a bit of melancholy. There’s just something about getting off work and having to walk outside in the dark that just bums me out — especially when the sun is setting well before 5:00. This evening, I kept stealing glances out the window at the brilliant colors as they evolved in the sky. But once I finally shut my laptop and headed out front with Finn, all color was faded and the sky was already a deep charcoal.

Right as I let out a disappointed sigh, I heard my phone ping. My friend had texted me this photo on behalf of her little girl. She wanted to tell me that she hoped I felt better. (I’ve been a bit under the weather since this weekend.) I was so touched and instantly cheered.

So I got to see tonight’s sunset after all. Only I got to see it with the heart.

Day 17 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A beloved book.

Answer: Appropriately, The Little Prince…because my Mom gave it to me and my first edition of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown…it’s older than I am. There are a lot of books I highly value and will always keep a copy and read many times, but to be beloved, well, that’s more than what’s printed between the covers.