From a student report, in a class where I require them to do astronomical observations:

“I used to hate god, but looking at the stars has changed how I view ‘god.’ I looked up and saw something new. God is love.”

This is unprompted. The assignment was not about religion.

But I love seeing what they learn.

Another wrote:

“I learned so much more than I expected to learn. I learned about the motion of the sun, but I also learned about the spirit of the readings in the class.”

The class, by the way, is ancient and medieval philosophy. I want them to consider the skies as the ancients like Thales once did, without telescopes, but maybe with a mug of hot cocoa and a friend to chat with.

We often drive together to the Badlands National Park and watch the Orionid meteor shower, and a handful of us did that this October.

But no matter where they are, when the look up, they often see more than the stars.