Magic is real

Two of my (many) obsessions are to see the northern and southern auroras and to dance in waves of bioluminescence.

They’re magical things and my heart yearns to be dazzled by their surreal beauty in real life, not just pictures.

But I keep being thwarted, being so near and missing my moment.

A massive geomagnetic storm on Sunday night brought the Aurora Australis all the way to Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where it was clearly visible to the naked eye.

That almost never happens.

It’s even rarer than seeing bioluminescence around here.

I follow various aurora and bio groups on Facebook … just in case … and I sprinted to Palm Beach many moons ago when I was alerted to bio there.

I frolicked with delight in the smattering of sparkles before making the long trip home.

On Sunday night, as I lay exhausted after my Melbourne trip and six hours of Sunday overtime, I saw posts on Facebook about how powerful the Southern lights were predicted to be.

I emerged reluctantly from under the doona and peered out my living room window, but the skies were dark.

I went back to bed and turned off my phone.

The next morning I saw stunning images of this rare phenomenon in my Facebook feed, taken by Saskia Van Der Put at Long Reef Headland on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Dammit! I hate missing out.

Ironically, I spent last night working at a festival of light, Vivid Sydney, but I was sitting in a room with the blinds drawn between 4.30pm and 11pm and didn’t see a single thing.

Then I trudged through the darkness to search for a cab to get me home.

Such is life.

One day my light-filled dreams will come true.

Today’s more practical dream is to keep my eyes open after starting work yesterday at 6am and finally climbing into bed at midnight.

I really don’t want to get up. But there are dogs to walk and buses to catch.

Yawn.

Song of the day: Madonna “Ray of light”