Yesterday, my daughter, mother, sister in-law, nieces and I arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo in the evening ready for some amazing sights. While the animals slumbered, the beautiful lights and decorations lit the night’s sky at their annual Luminature event. There was a huge light-up penguin show, a big flamingo tree, shimmer just about everywhere we turned, a sea display and gorgeous Christmas trees, and we were enamored by it all!
What made this evening extra special was watching my daughter and niece’s faces light up as they walked and even raced to the next light display letting out joyous giggles. I’m so grateful for these moments and am glad Quinn expressed interest in going for a third time.
Yesterday, we were all bundled up and ready to brave the cold weather and darkness knowing that we would soon witness spectacular sights of twinkling lights and displays at the Philadelphia Zoo.’s Luminature event. We attended in 2019 and didn’t get to go in 2020 due to Covid restrictions, so it made it that much more special this year.
My daughter observed how we had to go at night when it was dark. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to fully see the lights. This made me think about the significance of darkness, especially with what many of us have endured with being away from our loved ones and spending most of our time indoors. Sometimes to have a greater appreciation for the light, we must welcome darkness.
It was even more amazing than we recalled, and there were new displays that left us captivated. I’m so glad we didn’t allow the cold and darkness to stop us from enjoying this special outing with our aunt and cousins.
The weather was perfect, and the view was absolutely mesmerizing with colors from just about every spectrum in the rainbow. Though my daughter and I, along with my friend and her daughter, were at the Philadelphia Zoo, we were magically transported into a spectacular world of lights reminiscent of scenes from the movie Avatar: Luminature!
Immediately upon entering the gates, I kept stopping every few feet to take pictures and admire the beautiful scenes while the girls were eager to get to the next light display. My six year old said, “You’re walking so slow, Mommy! You never walk that slow!” I couldn’t help myself. The lights had me totally captivated as though I was in a trance. Seeing the lights and displays, hearing the background music and the giggles from the girls and feeling the joy in the atmosphere truly touched my spirit.
It made me think about the power of light and the occasional necessity for darkness. In order to fully enjoy and see the beautiful lights, it needed to be dark. Then we could fully appreciate the illuminated pathways, trees and displays as we navigated through the zoo. Sometimes we may have dark moments in life, but a little light can give us a glimmer hope.
When I look at my daughter, I see her as a beautiful light. She often shines bright, especially when I may be experiencing a dark moment. While admiring the light, any darkness I was experiencing becomes a distant memory.
If you’re looking for a fun, beautifully captivating activity to do and live near Philadelphia, I strongly suggest Luminature which runs through January 5th!
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