March 2003 Issue - Essay # 10
Under
the Stars, In My Backyard
By Angel R. Sierra
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I
have always been fascinated by science.
I was first introduced to stars and celestial bodies in grade
school, but never developed a passion for them until recently.
After deciding to fulfill the desire for a hobby such as star
gazing, I could not help but wonder where I would start.
My first dilemma was that of finding a proper location.
Naturally, I could not control the weather; selecting a spot with
a clear view of the sky was irrelevant.
If it were to rain, it would.
So, electing my backyard was a good choice. I
vividly recall looking for the “essential” gear inside my house:
binoculars, star chart, flashlight, and my ever-satisfying M&Ms.
Dressing my bed to trick my parents into thinking I was asleep, I left
my quarters and tried to get past the bathroom.
It was a futile effort. The
very second I set foot on that floor the hallway lit up as if it was the
Fourth of July. Then a face
pushed into the light, shoving out of the darkness as if tearing free of
something. A body followed.
My figure was frozen as I hesitated.
Trying my best to convince my dad I was heading into the kitchen
for a midnight snack, he looked at my boots and tilted his head.
After explaining my goals, my dad agreed to my star-gazing
mission, and reminded me of school the next day as he labored back into
his room. I was relieved.
I
passed by the refrigerator, but not without pulling the sticky door open
to peek inside. My mind
started to wander as I tried to pick a beverage.
I selected a cold Pepsi, and almost dropped it as the stinging from
the can subsided. Walking by
the living room couch, I hesitated to look at the monster-like shadows
cast by a nearby nightlight. The
once-friendly indoor plants were now hideous netherworld creatures. The
beasts crept across the living room as if trying to escape.
I tried to stay focused as the images were burnt into memory.
Remembering my goals, I stepped up the pace to avoid a second
capture. As I inched towards the door, I bent my knees slightly to lower
my center of gravity. Noticing
a dead moth on the floor adjacent the door, I paused before turning the
knob. I glanced at the moth,
looking serene in its place. A
soft look in its wings added to the calm glow on the wood floor.
My heart was in my throat, adrenaline rushing.
Without giving it another thought, I forced myself into nature.
Like
an army general overlooking a battlefield, I analyzed my backyard for the
perfect spot. I glanced about
warily. The ground was
cloaked in a frost-tipped blanket of shadows and half-light.
The yard was thick with trees.
Flowers grew everywhere--hibiscus, orchids, and others--massive
bushes filled with their blooms, scents filling the air.
My gaze lifted, traveling beyond the fence and buildings of the
city towards the heavens. Darkness
had already descended, as pale silver light from the moon and stars
flooded the ground. I lay
face up. Closing my eyes, I
took in my surroundings while the nightly breeze hugged my body, grass
brushed against my skin. In
the background, the superimposed chirping of the crickets finished the
painting. It was about nine
or ten at night, but I couldn't tell.
A long silence passed before I clear my throat and open my eyes
to notice a firefly had landed on my arm.
Lending my lungs to the surrounding air, I took a deep breath and
sat back. Remaining oblivious to the bug on my arm, I gazed into the sky. I scanned the expanse of the sky, feeling small and vulnerable. There were many questions to be answered: Who would place us on this planet? Why are we here? What is our purpose? I thought through these questions and continued searching the sky. The
moon drifted as time passed.
A streaking of black and gray laced a long line of odd-shaped
clouds that paraded across the sky like strange animals.
Silhouetted against this panorama were the magnificent
constellations of Scorpio and Sagittarius.
I dropped my sight back into the yard.
There was discord in the sounds.
They were indistinguishable for the most part, faint and muffled,
a scattering of buzzing and calls, of insects and animals, all lost deep
within the sheltering dark. The
sounds brought a chill to the pit of my stomach.
Trying to stay awake, I made funny circus expressions with my
face while I squinted at my watch. I
put my hands over my face, thinking of school the next day.
I didn't have a choice. School
was a priority, and I was surviving on my dad’s trust.
Bringing my hands from my face, I stood upright.
I stood there, silently, for a few moments in time.
Analyzing nature, I felt the power of the world surge through.
Pleasant, seductive warmth overcame me. After all of the
questions and tribulations, I now had answers.
Walking into the house, I pushed the door open, looking back on my
yard, the mist and haze, half-light throughout.
Then, as quickly as I had come, I left. |
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Author's Biography Angel Sierra is a currently a university student from Illinois, USA. Studying Mechanical Engineering, he is an essayist, and a website developer.
Angel loves to play the guitar in his free time, and study the science
of mathematics. He aspires
to become a Nobel prize winner in physics, and a world-renowned engineer. E-mail
Angel at holominds@yahoo.com |
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