Chats with the moon

 

Yesterday I was at jury services all day. Left home before 7 am. It was already daylight unlike other days when I leave for work at least an hour earlier. There was a thick crescent moon in the sky. Just the day before I had acknowledged the moon in the dark sky. Felt like in that moment it was just him and me giving each other company. But yesterday it seemed like we had more company as there were more cars on the road. The world was awake with us. Just as I parked my car in the designated lot for jurors and crossed the railroad the sun was up from behind the mountains. The tracks were all lit up by the fresh rays of the sun. I turned around and the moon was there too, smiling back. I nodded to both and hurried to the jury building. 

It was a long day of waiting there. 2 groups of jurors were picked by 10 am and sent out to two places for trials. A fresh batch of jurors arrived by 10 am and joined us who had come earlier but still waiting for the word. By 10:30 another group was picked and sent to the traffic court for duty. I was not one of them. We were let out on lunch break and told to return at 1:00 pm. And so I walked outside , crossing the road to a nearby deli. Got myself a salad and ate it leisurely. There was still an hour left before I had to go. There were some benches in the open area outside the deli. Came out and sat there finishing up the post on anxiety I had started to write earlier. Once back to the Jury building all of us remaining jurors were led to the next door courthouse to be picked for a trial. It was 2 pm by then. The judge gave us a briefing about the trial and rules to follow. We filled out a questionnaire. Based off those questions and our answers a group amongst us was excused due to stated hardships. The next group was told that they were selected for serving on the trial and should return on Thursday morning. About 10-12 of us were to be interviewed individually for some clarifications. When it came to my turn to go in the judge asked if my employer would pay for my jury days. I told her this was my last week before I retire. I would be paid by the employer for days I am out until Friday. However beginning next week I will be paid on days I work, not days when I’m away for anything including Jury duty. Will it be a hardship, the judge asked. I said “ sort of”, explaining that for the next year it would be only my income coming into the household. My husband’s retirement paycheck starts one year from now. 

The judge looked at the lawyers of both parties and they decided they would excuse me. One of the lawyers was kind enough to wish me congratulations on my retirement as I was leaving the room.

It was 4 pm by then. Once out on the street I called up my workplace requesting them to release my schedule for work Wednesday through Friday. As I pulled out of the parking lot and turned on the main road going home it felt really warm. Indeed the car was showing 91 degrees outside temperature! I noticed the sun had moved much towards the west and was right on my face. I looked further west but the moon was nowhere to be seen. Either it had already set or hidden behind the clouds in the western sky.

This morning I was out of the home before 6. It was reasonably dark. The moon’s crescent looked more slender than yesterday. It came spontaneously within , me telling the moon, I looked for you yesterday. And I felt the moon say, yes I know.  

The moon is not just a piece of matter up in the sky. Neither am I just a bundle of flesh, bones, blood and a thinking instrument. There is a basic force within both of us that imparts us an existence, a unique outward identity. But that identity doesn’t affect the pure identity of the force. It was this force really making a conversation between two of its manifestations!! God talks to himself !! The visible universe is like a mirror in which he sees himself and talks to. How fascinating it was to see it like that!! Removing the “me” in me and the me of the moon from the moon, it was transparent to see God talking to himself. About really nothing! Just acknowledging presence! 

These moments are wonderful and priceless. The hustle bustle of the day drowns them out, until everything is quiet and you can experience the sheer presence again. 

Saree is a Handloom weave from Assam in Padmini cotton.