The Heavens Opened their Shower Curtain!

I opened my eyes, slowly but surely, a bit later in the morning then I wanted to and checked my cell phone which lay just below my pillow...finally, after a tumultuous few days I was looking forward to today. I stayed in my room the majority of the day until late afternoon.

I left my room to get something to eat, and as I passed the back door, which lay ajar, I perceived the distinctive earthy smell of when rain first falls on dry earth (scientifically called Petrichor). I looked up at the sky, painted a dull grey, laden with the rains of those thousands miles of ocean. Now I ask the obvious rhetorical question, why today?

Normally this would be a perfect day, warm weather and rain showers -but not today-my mood changed quite dramatically in those few moments as disappointment set in. I continued on with my day, a little less bounce in my step but nevertheless holding on to some hope. I spent my evening in khane, passed some time with a friend and returned home, my emotional cortex was working overtime.

I waited.....and waited.... till the wee hours of the morning. Right before the sun peaked through the mountains,I stood directly in the center of the back alley and looked straight up above my house, and, lo and behold, the heavens opened the curtain of their white fluffy clouds and thousands twinkling stars peaked through. I saw my first shooting star: a fast glowing fireball whisking through the sky, brighter than a full moon and clearly visible to the unaided eye. I then saw a falling star, slowly meandering through the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

After that, many more shooting stars followed and as the sky got lighter my eyes started to get heavy and I went to bed. A couple of hours of dreams later, I awoke with magical memories of the amazing nocturnal performance.

The next meteor shower is the Orionids on October 21, 2008 and I dare not miss it.

Infinite stars Mesmeric galaxies
The universe beyond Carries my Dreams Floating through The endless night Myriad Stars In cosmic flight
Vast worlds
Hidden Away Untold stories To this day
Many secrets
The Universe Holds
Awaiting a day

They will unfold.
By Zahra Habib