“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?”—Psalm 8:3-4
There’s a constellation I look for often, especially on nights when the world feels like too much. It’s called the Summer Triangle, made up of three bright stars: Vega, Deneb, and Altair. Together, they form a great arrow in the sky. If you follow the longest edge, it always points south. No matter where you are, if you can find those three stars, you are not lost.
I live in one of the rare places where the night sky still reveals itself in full glory. We live in a small rural town where there is no city glare to drown out the stars. Just the calm of darkness, the chirp of crickets and the quiet pulse of ancient light. On clear nights, I go outside and tilt my face toward the stars. I don’t listen for them to speak in words—but still, they say something. Their shimmering feels like a kind of language. Their presence calms something wild and weary in me. I feel their energy. I feel known.
It’s hard to explain what that does to a person, the vastness above you, the sheer magnitude of it all, and yet… there you are, breathing beneath it, utterly included. Not separate. Not insignificant. You’re part of it. The light that reaches you tonight left its source thousands of years ago. It’s traveled across time and space to find you. To touch your skin. To be received by your eyes.
Astronomers tell us we are made of stardust. But I think our souls already knew. Something in us remembers that we belong to this universe. We ache not just for peace on Earth, but for communion with the mystery that holds everything. That’s what awe is. It’s not just wonder—it’s belonging. It’s reverence. It’s the heart’s recognition of what is holy.
In a world full of static and noise, the stars sing a deeper song. When everything feels like it’s unraveling, they remind us that there is still an order, a beauty, a rhythm older than our chaos. They are still shining. They are still sending us light.
So tonight, or whenever you can, go outside. Look up. Find the Summer Triangle—or any star that finds your gaze. Let its light guide you, not to somewhere else, but back to the center of who you are. You are not lost. You never were.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
When was the last time you felt awe? What did it awaken in you?
In what ways do you forget that you belong—to the earth, to the sky, to something greater?
What helps you return to your center when the world feels disorienting?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer For Remembering I Belong
O Star-Maker, O Source of all that shines, When I feel small, remind me I am part of the vastness. When I feel alone, remind me I am wrapped in light older than time. When I forget who I am, let me remember: I am dust of stars and breath of sky. I am beloved. I am held. I am home. Let my heart be as still as the night sky. Let my soul remember its origin in wonder. And when the world grows loud and harsh, draw my gaze upward again— until awe returns, and with it, peace. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Star-Watching as Sacred Listening
Tonight (or whenever you find a clear sky), step outside. Leave behind your phone, your tasks, your rushing. Let the night greet you slowly.
Look up. Let your eyes adjust. It takes about 10 minutes. Take in the whole sky if you can—but then find one star. Just one. Let it become your anchor. Your teacher.
Now, breathe with it.
Inhale slowly, letting the starlight find you.
Exhale gently, offering your gratitude back to the cosmos.
Notice: what feeling arises in you? Is it longing? Peace? A quiet joy? Stay with it. Don’t analyze—just be.
If you know the Summer Triangle—Vega, Deneb, and Altair—search for it. Let it orient you, not just geographically, but spiritually. Let it remind you: you are not lost.
As you return inside, carry that sense of spaciousness with you. Let it stretch your heart open a little wider for the rest of your day.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
October 18, 2025 - No Kings 2.0 Protest - Scholars of authoritarianism teach us that we need 3.5% of the population rising up to disrupt the rise of authoritarians. The last protest had over 6 million people in the streets in the US (more around the world) which was one of the largest protest in US history. We need to double that number. So here we go again. The movement builds. See you on the streets.
October 20-24, 2025 - FREE Online 5-Day Summit on “Made for These Times: Spiritual Leadership for a World in Crisis.” Political extremism. Climate collapse. Cultural fragmentation. People of faith across the globe are asking: How do we lead with clarity, courage, and compassion in a time like this? REGISTER HERE.
October 23, 30, November 13, 20 2025, 7pm ET - In Search of a New Story: Reimagining What Comes Next, A 4-Part Online Series with Dr. Matthew Fox, Cameron Trimble, Ilia Delio, Diana Butler Bass, Caroline Myss and Luther Smith. We are living through the unraveling of many old stories—about who we are, why we’re here, and how we are meant to live together on this Earth. As these inherited narratives collapse under the weight of climate crisis, social fragmentation, and spiritual disconnection, the question becomes clear: What story will guide us now? REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
October 30 - December 4, 2025 - Online Course “Partnering with Life: Our Missing Ally” with Margaret Wheatley. Meg is launching a new course (and I will be tagging along). Partnering with life means much more than getting into nature to soothe our troubled selves. Life is waiting for us to join her as we struggle to maintain sanity through this dark and destructive time. Learn more and register here.
July 19-24, 2026 - Join me and amazing co-facilitator, Victoria, on retreat in the back-country of beautiful Wyoming. The Art of Wilding is a 5-Day Expedition for Women Leaders. We will spend the week reconnecting to nature, exploring our inner landscapes for change, and engage the wisdom of spiritual teachings. Click here to learn more.
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.
Amen Reverend. That's one of my favorite verses. You've probably done some stargazing at night when you are flying. Nothing better to get some altitude and cut all the cockpit lights off and let your eyes adjust. It's the ground view X 10.
We still get a paper delivered each morning. When I go out to get it it is still dark. I think morning is darker than evening. Anyway I always look up. I know Orion and the dippers. And of course the moon. It is always beautiful. A moment of awe to begin my day