We spread our sleeping bags on the snow and crawled inside. The vantage point was dizzying. It was impossible to tell whether the comet was above us or we were above the comet; we were all falling through space, missing the stars by inches.
In this excerpt from Anne Fadiman's "At Large and at Small: Familiar Essays," the author describes a vivid experience of lying on snow while gazing up at a comet. The perspective is so disorienting that it creates a unique sensation of floating in space, where the distinction between the viewer and the celestial body becomes blurred. This moment evokes a profound sense of awe and wonder at the universe.
The imagery illustrates not only the beauty of the night sky but also the humbling experience of realizing one’s place in the cosmos. Fadiman captures the essence of exploring the unknown and the exhilaration of connecting with the vastness of space, highlighting that in such moments, human existence feels both fragile and spectacular.
