By the light...

I've said before and I'll say again: I can always tell when I'm supposed to write about something because it becomes such a recurring presence that I have no choice but to pay attention. Right now...and for what reason, I'm not sure...I'm supposed to be paying attention to the Moon.

Saturday evening on the way home from the grocery store, the Monkey was fretting over whether or not we'd missed Ned's birthday. I assured him that we hadn't and he protested that maybe we had because the moon was out and that meant it was night. It's been big lately...full and round in the sky...and he was captivated by it on the twilight drive home.

Monkey: Mommy, look! The moon!
Me: I know! It's beautiful...
Monkey: Yeah.... (then conspiratorially) ...but I think it's following us...
Me: Well, yeah....but maybe it wants to be our friend.
Monkey: Aww... How nice!

Sunday after rehearsal, I firmly planted myself on the couch for a solid three hours to take in the TV premier of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The part that struck me most? Professor Lupin and his boggart-turned-full-moon... Oh right...the moon! And I peeked out the window to see it shining down with just the faintest haze covering it....lamenting a little that I don't have a fancy camera that can capture what my eyes see.

Tonight, the Monkey and I went to "Easy Times" (his pet name for Hard Times Cafe) for dinner. When we got home a bit after 7, it was already fully dark outside: a crystal clear night with the moon like a giant spotlight. We got out of the car and danced in our moonshadows on the driveway. I sang him a little Van Morrison...he sang me an enthusiastic Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and made wishes on a passing airplane (because to a 4-year-old, every streak in the night sky is a shooting star)...then we rushed inside for hot chocolate and graham crackers.

I'm still not really certain what the moon has been trying to tell me these past few days...but I feel a little grateful just the same. Whether there's a message or not, these moonmoments have been wonderful.