My breath paints the cold night air as I climb the hill overlooking the town below. It tastes crisp and fresh, like the chill before a heavy snow. Everyone is getting ready to turn in for the evening; one by one the houses go dark. A lone church bell chimes as I reach the summit, then – silence. All is still. A faint breeze stirs the leaves on the trees and ruffles the tall grass around me as I sprawl out on the damp ground. Lying there, staring up into the heavens, I imagine a faceless man doing the same thing somewhere else in the world. Who is he? Is he pondering my existence as well? Does he know how often he appears in my thoughts?
I hear nothing but the breeze and the chirping of crickets. I take a deep breath. There is nothing else in the world right now but this. The sky above winks at me, encouraging me to swim amongst its stars. I slow my breathing until I’m nearly holding my breath, as if the slightest sound could shatter the delicate balance of the moment.
I lie there until the cold seeps through my clothes and begins to chill me from the inside out. Having had my fill, I slowly stand, brushing damp grass from my body. I turn my back on the people below and begin to walk. I will probably never return; it’s not in my nature. They offered what they could and I accepted with grace and humility, but now it’s time to move on. The stars keep me company as I wander out into the world alone, considering the many possibilities that now can be explored.
