A Walk Under the Moonlight

Tonight, she stole into the dark, just to catch a glimpse of the moon, after what felt like a very long time.

There were a million reasons to stay in and finish the last few pages of her book, before heading off to make a quick call or grab that mug of green tea, but, (and this is important) she chose to step out and honour the promise she made to herself in the wee hours of the morning. Self-care, she had whispered to herself, her eyes still half-closed, just before she had pulled herself out of the covers to welcome another busy day.

It is in these little things that she reminds herself that life is to be lived; it is in these fleeting moments and in these most obscure wants, that she wishes to feel alive again and again.

As she glanced outside, the rising moon had caught her eye. The thought of a walk in the moonlight was too tempting to pass up.

Wouldn’t it be lovely to walk under the canopy of stars, to feel the soft blades of grass under her feet, seated by the pool, watching the moonlight dancing on the water? For a few minutes, all her worries vanished into thin air. It felt amazing to be alive! The still waters stirred occasionally every time the breeze blew. Nothing except a gentle rustle of the leaves as the blooming Frangipani stood guard on either side, while she breathed in the beauty of the evening calm. Everything was in place, including herself.

These are the times, she told herself, when time stood still, and one had only the moments to hold on to—the most ordinary moments of our mundane lives, that came and went, mostly unnoticed, while one waited for extraordinary things to happen to them. What an irony!

In the heart of a September evening, she was enjoying spring again, her foot tapping lightly to the music that was playing inside her head, as she mused upon passing thoughts. She felt a strong sense of deja vu—wondering whether it was real or something she’d been imagining all along…or perhaps, a memory from another lifetime. Who knows?

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Written as part of our #SoulfulSunday freewriting exercise—along with Vinitha, Shilpa and Anamika.