December 15, 2011

Stillness Monster

What are you doing?  You’re outside and not at all dressed for it.  You weren’t supposed to end up here.  You were just going to get the mail and then rush back in, out of the cold.  Now you’re stuck, standing in the driveway.  It’s just too beautiful.

The night sky is lit from above and below; the stars shining crystal clear through the cool air while holiday lights glow soft and warm across the land.  You can smell the woodsmoke billowing out of chimneys and the holiday treats baking for children to take to school tomorrow.  A sound has you turning slightly; far-off neighbors pull into their drive and laugh before going inside.  When was the last time you stopped to listen this way?  You can’t even remember.  You’re so glad you’re doing it now.  All the worries you had are gone in a sudden cold snap.  You breathe deep and remember what it’s like to simply be.  To exist in the middle of this wonderful world.  What a great gig.

Stillness Monster looks down at you.  From his angle he almost never gets to see the reactions to his meddling -- just the tops of heads -- but he’s chuckling deep in his chest anyway.  Right before you walked outside, he managed to freeze time solid in that one particular spot on the driveway -- the one you walked into while worrying about your nephew’s life choices.  Now you can’t remember any of those things that were so important a moment ago, and he gets to finally share the beautiful view with an unsuspecting human. 

You both seem pretty happy.