A Moment with the Moon

In our busy lives, simple pleasures can be over-looked. No matter how simple they may seem; they often can be the most impactful.

Modern day pleasures appear flashier now — things like graduating University, a sunset on a cruise, or having a smashing one-night stand. These bring smiles, doubletaps, and are all-around astounding, leaving the simple pleasures of life to subside into the background of mundane routine.

The situation may differ, yet the feeling is the same. My humble pleasures make themselves known as a divine sense of comfort that lingers in my mind. In the moment, it can feel like the calm hug from a close friend or a distant spirit guide. As is passes, I reflect on the gentle embrace.

I realised this one night as I was walking home after a heavy day at work. As if the Earth had arisen in a solemn mood and blamed it all on me, the day overflowed with destructive events. From the morning Myki inspectors parading their intimidation, to the tempered customers at work belittling my existence, my heart weighed more than I could carry, causing my feet to drag with each step.

You could say by the end, I was emotionally exhausted, stuck replaying each conversation in my head on loop, in hopes of understanding all the things that went wrong.

By the time I stepped off the tram and began my walk home, I looked up for a brief moment to the sky and paused. The negative thoughts from the day that burrowed deep inside my sombre chest, released into the night’s breeze through a deep sigh. My gaze softened beneath the moonlight as I basked in the delicate moment.

The glow of the moon stared upon me as I stared back, greeting me with the familiar sense of clarity. The night sky had a clear and glowing aura, as white pinprick stars sprinkled across. All went quiet, the traffic had passed, and the loudness of my mind fell still.

Standing beneath the bright moonlight, the heaviness subsided in my chest, and the accumulated problems from my day, shrank smaller and smaller. Like it was a sight only meant for me, the moon assured me I was okay. My day was just another difficult day, on a planet filled with them.

I soon noticed how insignificant my problems were, and how small of a being I was, as I stood on the empty corner of my street, just the moon and me.

To this day, I acknowledge my humble pleasures no matter how they take form. But, at the most basic level — nothing beats a simple moment with the moon.

Maisie Mateos