The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent the United States Army or the United States Government.
© Copyright 2009
I noticed tonight that Kabul twinkles at night. I don’t know what it is, but the lights of Kabul twinkle much like stars embedded in a fabric that climbs up the mountains like a Christmas tree blanket over a tree stand. They are not all the same dull yellowish color or blue-tinted white of American city lights. There seem to be many colors, from bright white to bright red, muted greens and yellowish glares. It almost seems festive, and I ponder the many lives being lived next to the twinkling points; the children growing up in this dusty city heaving itself slowly out of the quagmire of war’s rubble, barely daring to hope for a future with a bit of liberty.
It’s too much to consider.
I notice an almost ominous glow behind one of the mountains. Back home such a glow would signal some sort of large event. Here, as I forgot, it heralds the coming of the moon. What I see is the bright light of earth’s largest satellite glowing like an approaching car’s headlights. The far side of the mountain is already bathed in its light, but here on the other side, I stand in shadow, slowly realizing that it is the moon and not some great social event or impending disaster.
A bright, unblinking light appears atop the mountain. It is the tip of the crescent which momentarily becomes apparent; a triangle, its sharpened tip growing taller at a surprising rate. Within seconds, it begins to resemble a shark’s tooth breaking free of the mountainous jaw, jutting skyward. This effect grows and is not lost until the moon is nearly free of the grasp of the mountain. Finally, the nearly half-moon rests for a few seconds atop the mountain, seemingly paused there as if resting from the effort.
The illusion is broken; the moon separates itself from the mountain and resumes its climb. The moonshadow begins to retreat towards the moon, slowly racing across the valley towards the base of the opposing mountain as the moon literally shines like a muted sun on the glittering city of Kabul. The moon is risen.
I think it took less than two minutes. Some things just leave me shaking my head slowly and muttering about beauty to myself, alone in the dark.
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No, you weren’t alone. You had ‘us’ there with you. Thank you for such a beautifully worded picture of the moon rising over you…
May the sunrise be just as spectacular.
Stay safe!
~LFS
Blue. I’m so glad to see you back where you fought so hard to be. It is truly amazing to read your words so remeniscent of your first tour of duty in Afghanistan. Words filled with wonder and awe. Brilliant writing my friend, that makes us see what you see. Stay as safe as you can in Afghanistan.
The wordsmith has returned. Well done.
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 07/16/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
Beautiful writing. Thank you. And as I read your words, a song I have always sung to my girl sprung to my mind:
Somewhere out there
Beneath the pale moonlight
Some ones thinking of me
And loving me tonight
Somewhere out there
Someones saying a prayer…
And even though i know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we’re sleeping underneath the same big sky
We are ALL connected…Stay safe..Saying MY prayers for you all….
That is quite a word picture you have painted. Beautifully written.
[...] Afghanquest (formerly Bill and Bob’s excellent Afghan adventure) [...]
With your words as a guide, I felt myself actually transported to that place…and that time. Thank you so much for a beautiful experience!
Dixie