At the 4th of July fireworks display in my town, I saw a sky lantern for the first time in real life. It was only one, and it sailed over my head at the same time as the fireworks began, but it was more eye-catching than the huge pyrotechnic flare with which it shared the space above.
It's a rare sight, so the wonder from it was even greater than the beauty of the soft shimmer it imparted. As my gaze tracked its progress above my head, I could only imagine how a sky filled with thousands of them would magically appear.
Unfortunately, that's a sight I doubt I'll see. The ethereal floating lights can actually be dangerous, potentially setting a fire where they land. It's not a product that would be condoned, and especially not in large numbers. More likely I would see only solitary lanterns, like this one, and only infrequently at best.
So I enjoyed for the moment the portion that I could see of this diaphanous object's journey to and away from where I stood. I watched it sail beyond my view, and deliver its rosy glow to the other percipients on this twilight who took the opportunity to look heavenward.
