I spent a few days out in the country last weekend. The city may have the energy, but the country helps me recharge.

Something I really noticed this time was just how dark dark is in the country. The view through the window at night is empty. It might as well be painted black.

In Chicago you can’t find total darkness outside. Nighttime is tinted orange. Street lights, lamps, passing cars, reflections — they all dye the dark. When you look out the window at night in the city you can what’s outside.

It’s not any better or worse, it’s just different.

You also can’t really see the nighttime sky in the city. You can look up, but you can’t see what’s really up there. You may catch a few lucky stars and that moon, but there a million things missing.

All of this reminds me that everything is relative. Dark here isn’t dark there even though it’s nighttime in both places. The sky there isn’t the sky here. Even though you’re looking up at the same thing, they aren’t the same.

That’s a good thing to be reminded of from time to time.