A Large Moon Phenomenon
Last night as I was putting away the dishes and starting the dishwasher, there was a full moon peaking from behind the trees to extend some light through my east-facing kitchen window. If someone was walking down the street, they would be able to see me as a consequence of the bright reflection of the moon.
This took me to a folklore story from Papua New Guinea, which goes like this:
In the old times the moon was much bigger than the moon we see today. The moon had a secret habit which was to clim down its secret vine ladder whenever the town people go working on the field and it would kill and eat their children when they are innocently playing. The adults were confused about what had happened to their kids. But the moon kept on secretly descending and killing the children and eating them. This made the town people hold an emergency meeting which concluded that they hide in the bushes the next day instead of going to work to observe what is going on in their absence. One man was hiding behind the banana tree and was surprised to see the moon catching some kids and eating them. In the next morning, the town people prepared their weapons and pretended they are going to work again but instead, they hid in the village. Leaving their kids playing in the open field where the moon can see them. The moon scanned the view with caution then it came down as it always did. Once the moon was completely on the ground, the people cut the ladder cords and started attacking it tearing it into shreds.
From then on, darkness is all over the world and people are unhappy about it. So upon a village meeting they decided to put back one piece in the sky. All the big birds couldn’t lift the small piece. But after many attempts, a swiftlet and a paradise bird volunteered to carry it to the sky and easily did so. Happiness spread all over the village back again and they thanked the birds for their efforts. Now, on somedays, if you look at the moon, you might see a silver aura behind the clouds and it’s nothing but a reflection of how large the moon was one day.
My thoughts took me to far places and past times when I used to look at certain people in a large moon way. Those whom their ambiguous charm left me confused in their presence. Where their presence extinguishes anything that seems unlike them. No beauty could be legitimate if it wasn’t originating from them.
While the sun is the main source of light, so secure in its own light, everything can be seen as it is when the sun is present. We can see ourselves and others for what we/they are and our surroundings for what they actually are. It can burn us when it’s too strong, but that is no secret. Unlike the sun, when the moon is present, it only reflects whatever it can extend light to. It can only make things look more romantic than they are or as spooky as your imagination can take you.
I saw my past struggles with certain people presented when they show up; things seem less bright than they are. How I saw their sneaky tacts and the weapons they used. How I would trustingly leave my inner precious energies exposed to their sight and how they secretly feast on them, leaving me confused and even more than ever, leaving me adoring their greatness in the presence of my loss and growing diminishment.
How I can now go on with my day after I cut the cord and after honouring the birds who helped me mediate my losses. Now I can see them as they are and appreciate their actual efforts that are not as grandiose as I made them since they didn’t use my kids as their superpower.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the washing machine spitting the detergent capsule to start the washing cycle. I took a deep breath contemplating the power of the domineering who only cultivates it by creating confusion around what is valuable. What a threat for what holds value to a power gluttonous moon that will look brighter and magical with every child it eats in a Dorian Gray picture way.