Awash in Moonlight

So I went to a friends birthday party last night, it was a good time, got to meet a bunch of new people which is always good, so when the festivities were done and we decided to leave, I drove everyone who was in my car home (high-five designated drivers), but I don't know something came over me, I just wasn't ready to go home yet.  It was like 2 am, and any sane rational working adult would have been asleep to wake up for work the next day.  But my mind was like you should go to Peter's Canyon and just hike around.  Ok, mind, let's do it, the rest of my body mimes.  So I drive to Peter's Canyon.

Of course at 2 am the park is closed, but I've hopped enough fences in my life, so I park across the street and trespassed into the park.  So I just started to hike, through some of the creek areas, the wildlife alive with the abnormal sounds of my passing.  A coyote darted across my path, almost acting unaware of my presence.  The flowers a glow with the half-moon's light.  The night is dark, but clear. One physical gift God gave me is my night vision, so I'm able to pick my path pretty well, not stepping in anything nasty.

I made my way up big red, so I could look over the entire Tustin/Irvine valley, it was so clear that I could almost make out the end of the valley.  It was beautiful, the lights that sprang up from the marketplace, the roads empty of sound.  It felt like I was the only one awake. I got this amazing sense of oneness with my surroundings, like I could feel the crickets around me breathing, chirping, hear the raccoons munching on there dinner, watch as the coyotes made there way up the far hill.  It felt like anything was possible if I just listened.

After the moment had passed, I made my way down the far side of big red over to the far side of the park, around towards the lake.  This is were the gate hopping skills come in.  I wanted to feel the water.  Don't know why, just did.  So I hopped the fence and went down to the lake.  As I got closer to the lake I removed my shoes and socks to feel the water.  I approached the water and stuck my feet in, the water was really warm, I was pretty surprised.  It's forbidden to go swimming in the lake, like ever, so I said I've broken every other rule tonight why not another?  So I removed my clothes and jumped in.  Don't know if anyone's been skinny dipping before, but it is an interesting sensation, pretty pleasant in my opinion.  Kinda feels natural.  So I started to swim out further into the lake. By this time the moon had gone way down, and it was the darkest part of the night.  And the stars sang.  Normally I'm only treated to these stars when I go to national parks, but this was a rare treat indeed.  It caught my breath, not entirely a good thing when your treading water, but the sight was glorious.  And I knew in that moment what the most important things in my life where.

I got out, put my clothes back on, and made my way back to my car.  A man made a lot richer.  Drove home, and slept like a baby.  Dreaming of endless possibilites.