Here and now in the sun

Yesterday, I was on a train to the airport. It was about 7 o'clock in the evening.

As the train emerged from the underground and came up to the surface, a bright light blinded me for a few seconds. When I opened my eyes again, I could see the same light, slightly gentler, filtered through the trees by the side of the tracks.

Of course, it was the sun. As the train passed through another clear field, I felt the warm rays hit my face again. With my eyes shut, I could see my bright red blood, set ablaze with the sunlight. With some effort I managed to open my eyes and look straight at this great ball of fire hanging up there in the sky. I felt an instant joy that brought a smile to my face.

I continued staring, now in amazement, as I remembered that it's the sun which powers everything around me. Everything on this planet - the people, the plants, the animals, this train, everything. What an amazing being!

My stream of thoughts was interrupted when the driver announced that the train was soon approaching its destination. As the train plunged back into the darkness, I thought of the sun again. I felt so happy that it's there and we keep going around it all the time. In using the sun's energy, I felt that the sun is part of us as much as we are a part of the sun. The sun is within us. We are the sun and the sun is us.

Now, I sit on top of this hill looking at the setting sun. I remember what a friend once said to me. It's the earth which is moving and not the sun, it's not so much the sun setting as it is the earth rising.

It's a great feeling of here and now.

Through Hinode's eye

The Shades Vendor

"How much is the green?"

"Two fifty."

"I just want one, not the whole lot."

"How much've you got?"

"One seventy."

"One seventy will get you the truecolour. Want it?"

"Let me try them on. Can't barely see past 8th block. Where do you get these from?"

"Want 'em?"

"I think I will get the red. What make are they?"

"Skint."

"Ya, like you just made that up, didn't you?"

"Three ten for the red."

"You seem to be in a hurry. I'll see you on the way back from school."

"Skint."

"Have a good day, Nom. Don't forget to put your hat on."

Flowerchucker on the left by Banksy | Shadesofarainbow on the right by Hrishi

When the moon turned rainbow

When the sun set, I was thinking to myself this is going to be the last time I see it set, the very last time. I just love to sensationalise the smallest of things and try to imagine something completely unusual and crazy happening all the time. I guess I'm just bored. Nothing exciting ever happens. So I'm always hoping for some sort of miracle to occur and wow me. At least I know I'm imagining. Most people actually believe in all of their own imagination. They are so bored they invent all sorts of stuff. Anyway, I'm too bored to even talk about them. Plus, you know all that anyway. You know what I mean, the usual things - money, war, family and the lot.

Photo Source: NASA

What amazes me most about the sun and the moon and the planets and all those other stars is how they manage to maintain their colours. They always seem to be the same colour, always. Until today! It must have been just after 8 when I'd already been staring at the moon for a whole ten minutes. I only looked down to put my brush away for half a moment and suddenly, the moon turned all colourful. I couldn't believe my eyes as I turned to look up at this multicoloured disc of light. It shone on as if nothing had changed, no big deal. Within no time the whole thing had turned from an innocent white to a brilliant riot of reds, greens, blues, yellows, indigos, oranges, purples, browns and even some new shades never seen before by anyone. It was a most delightful sight. I couldn't help but stare with joy as my finger pointed to the moon and my open mouth froze motionless unable to speak a word. This was the most beautiful thing I had seen in my life. It was so intense, so full of life, inviting me, drawing me towards it.

While the artist in me couldn't stop admiring the sheer aesthetic brilliance of this newly born moon and the raw appeal of its myriad colours, my scientific mind was fast moving in many directions looking for a plausible theory to explain this law-defying phenomenon. I saw myself putting together the most awe-inspiring set of equations to show how a minor change in the earth's magnetic field coupled with a wave of strong solar electromagnetic storms had created this rarest of celestial spectacles. At the same time, I could see a string of poems flowing from my heart capturing this ever-so-tender-yet-evocative moment - in all probability, missed by most of humanity. Mixed feelings of happiness, discovery, reponsibility and accomplishment gripped my young heart. Why did the universe choose me for this historical moment? Why?

"Boo!"

"You freak!!! You scared the hell out of me, you freak."

"Take it easy, maestro. Will you please stop star gazing now and finish the last coat tonight? I will need the railing tomorrow to dry my clothes and I don't want wet paint on my pyjamas."

"Go away!"

There, lost it.

Photo Source: Same as above

Now, where did all the colours disappear? Could it have been the clouds which disturbed the field? Must have been them or why would it turn white again? I didn't even get time to click a picture. I can't believe it, what a loss. I was on the verge of such a great discovery. What's wrong with everyone? Why don't they get it?

What would I do without my imagination?

I'd get so bored. That's what I'd do.

Wake up call

"It's raining after weeks"

"Not here, anyway. It's still so dry."

"I'm writing a story. Will you read it?"

"Sure. If you show it to me. What's it about?"

"I don't know. Haven't started yet. Something simple, like about the rain or something like that."

"Look, there's a rainbow."

"Not here, anyway. I'll talk to you later."

"You're such a liar."

"Stop laughing."

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere. There's nowhere to go. I'm going to sit here until I write this story."

"I've heard that before."

"Later."

It's always so difficult to choose a topic. But that's ok now. I'm not going to waste anymore time on such trivia.

I never thought this day would come. The sun hidden behind the clouds with the rain pouring looks so good.

I feel alive.