Chasing the lights

You ever hear the expression "Chasing the dragon"? Generally it's a term used to describe drug induced experiences where you're chasing that first initial high. No matter what you do, how much you consume, you will never feel that same high as the first hit. That's what chasing the northern lights is like, but without the drugs.

The first time you see the lights of the aurora borealis flash and dance across the sky is an indescribable feeling. You watch in awe as the night sky suddenly lights up like the 4th of July, minus the fire hazard and ear deafening blasts of fireworks. The colours weave and they swirl, at times they're as graceful as the principal dancers in Swan Lake and at other times they crash, pulsate, and gyrate, kind of like watching WAP Tik Toks by Mother Nature. The show can be minutes or it can be hours, but it's never enough. You want more. You will sit out in the dark like a stalker waiting for them to show again. You'll keep telling yourself only 5 more minutes, if lady aurora doesn't show in 5 more minutes you're outta there. It's a lie, because the next time you've looked at the clock it's been an hour and you're still hanging on to the hopes that she'll show again. She holds all the cards and FOMO keeps you from packing it in for the night. It would be a slap in the face to wake up in the morning and see everyone else's posts of the amazing light show that you missed out on.

Once you finally realize that's it, the show's really over, you'll drag your sorry tired ass home for a quality hour or so of sleep. When your alarm goes off you'll wonder how you're going to make it through the day. How will you function and be a productive part of society? Coffee and lots of it. Most of the day you'll feel like you're in a trance or you've got a wicked hangover and you're just going through the motions until you can clock out. But there's no clocking out, because you've checked the apps and the forecasts and the chances are really good that the lights will be out in good form again tonight. You'll squeeze in a quick power nap if you can and if you can't you'll rally back from that all day hangover feeling and pack your gear and head out.

The first glimpse of the lights in that dark night sky is like the hair of the dog that bit ya and you are back in the game!

Mother Nature is a dealer and the lights are one of her many drugs.