Wild Night at "Wild Nights"

Last night, I had the opportunity to see an extraordinary show of lights. Down at the Columbus Zoo, the display of Christmas lights that the zoo puts up every year was impressive, as were the displays that went along with it. If you get a chance to do so this year, I highly recommend it.

I haven’t been to the zoo since I was a kid, perhaps five or six, so needless to say it has changed much since that time. For what it’s worth, I didn’t see much of the zoo itself last night either because it was dark, but I was impressed with the display of lights.

They call it “Wild Nights” which makes sense given the subject and locale, and it lives up to it’s name. When you first arrive, the pond at the front is strung with the most impressive shades of white lights and every so often, a music show begins and the lights move in sync with the music, much as in a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert. It’s impressive to see how all the parts move together in unison to the music and to see the different themes throughout the zoo.

But, honestly, the best part of the whole night was seeing the people who were there. Older folks, teens, and young children walking around in awe of the lights and the animals. One of my pleasures in life is watching children in awe of nature. In the aquarium they would stare at the manatees, and were excited to see the penguins swimming around. They would spot a koala bear in a tree or a bear sleeping in a cave and would just be in awe at the sight. Those moments of pure curiosity, interest, and excitement all rolled into one look are the best moments anyone could ask for.

I mean seriously, who doesn't like manatees?

I had to laugh because at one moment we were resting outside a shop and a family walked by. The youngest saw the shop and asked his dad if they could go in. Dad, of course, wanted to keep moving because he knew that if they didn’t, his wallet would be getting thinner, so he made a conscious effort to change the subject quickly and pointed to another animal display that was around the corner. A Hallmark moment if there ever was one.

If you get a chance this year, check out the Wild Nights at the Columbus Zoo. It’s well worth the price, and you can’t put a price on the memories.