A Bit Of Everything And Nothing

The night had let down her curtains. One could see millions of brightly lit stars at close quarters, twinkling and giving the impression of a beautifully choreographed ballet. But it was the moon who stole the show. The moon was more beautiful than even the stars around. Everything seemed exquisite bathed in the mystic moonlight. A cool summer breeze blew, ruffling the leaves of a nearby olive tree. I quivered, feeling the wind on the back of my neck, a gentle caress on my skin. Unaccustomed to the freshness, my lungs jerkily expanded as I breathed in the tropical summer breeze. Sitting on the window sill of my room I could see the endless stretch of the forest beyond. Shades of green, yellow, and brown mingle with each other, seeming like an abstract art piece with a strong contrast between the pastel and bold shades. 

I never was one to take my time and truly appreciate the beauty of nature, but as the seasons were changing, so was I. I may call it a kind of self-realization, a kind of occasion to strike an intimate conversation with myself. These moments have compelled me to reach back to my inner self and at least to confront the person that I really am. In our busy, urban routines we have been running all the time in search of ambitions, money, and fame and we have become very empty from the inside. Has the addiction to hyper-modern and aggressive urban life made us deaf and blind to the language of nature? I look at the sky and begin to lose myself in its infinite horizon. Perhaps the loud and destructive discourse of hyper development has still not been completely successful in suppressing the voice of nature. We just need to take the time to notice and appreciate the simple rewards of life.

Such moments of utter bliss and tranquility were so rare in the fuss and commotion of the modern world. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the windowpane listening to the phonograph play a peaceful piano tune, the notes hitting my ears as I swayed slightly to the rhythm. Classical tunes are an invitation for slowness and to feel the presence of myself, the ever-patient version of me who waits to be spoken to, and is content to do so. Wind and nature do the same, yet differently, each in their own way. Today is a day of music, to feel the soul within.

I caught the whiff of my chocolaty drink. It was about to get cold, isolated on my desk. I wrapped my hands around the cup, letting the warmth flow through my fingers, banishing the slight chill. It was creamy, rich, and coated my tongue thickly before flowing down my throat. The top was swirling with white milk foam and cocoa powder. I was in two minds between wanting to savor it or just inhaling it.

My wandering eyes fell upon my next-door neighbor who was out in his balcony as well, leaning on the glass and wood railing and lazily smoking a cigarette. The smoke being whisked away by the considerate wind as he too, looked up at the stars. He seemed to be enjoying the tranquility of the weather as well. I was not alone in thinking of this time as a series of benedictions.

The sky was no longer pitch black, instead, shades of dull grey were beginning to overcome the darkness. Maybe, it too was reminding us that everything is temporary and one day, everything shall cease to exist, and it would no longer be just us and our thoughts. So many mysteries yet so little time. So much to do yet such a life. Constantly reminding us to focus on the present and be a better version of ourselves. So many expectations to meet but we remain in the dark for the future yet to come. Perhaps, there would exist such a time where it would be just me and my thoughts, and in front of us the horizon, where the sky would meet the sea. A place and time where we could be free of all restraints and all negativity. A place where humanity would be at its best. A place we could lie in the meadows without a care in the world and stare at the setting sun, where we could feel the freshness near the sea and look up at the night sky. A place where we would find our personal paradise.

I ran a finger through my head, keeping the hair out of my face. I sighed, my hands itched to compose poetry about this unsettled weather but my body refused to get up and miss even a second of this rarity. 

The gentle breeze slowly turned into a harsh wind. The trees in the forest swaying to the notes of the wind, a take on nature's orchestral music. The moon and stars were shying away behind the dense and dark clouds. The thunder came as an emotional rollercoaster, twinned with the earthbound lightning, enriching the cloud-conjured sense of midnight. Mother Nature too had to let loose once in a while. Perhaps, she too was tired of human nature. All we did was take, take, and take to accommodate our selfish needs, wants, and desires, never once giving or returning the favor. As a great poet once said, perhaps the world will end in fire…

I untangled the wind chime that had been twisted out of shape by the wind, playing a little with its bars. The clinking sound of the bars along with the soft piano music, the sound of the wind, and the strong pitter-patter of the rain, there was no better tune ever composed. I got up from the sill and closed the window as the light rain was soon turning into a heavy downpour.

Looking out of the window for the last time before I retired for the night, I thought, no matter how much you think you know someone, their secrets might surprise you, a mystery yet to be uncovered and it seemed as if nature had her own secrets. Face heavenward and smiling a little idiotically, I turned back towards my room, cherishing the celestial aura and the ethereal beauty. Some things weren't meant to be controlled and some mysteries, they just weren't meant to be solved.