Breathing Space - Julia Juan

  

     Their face and the wall behind them lit up in the endless stream of entertainment and education displayed on the device — which was carefully placed so that it could quickly be hid under the covers. Unable to tear themselves away from what appeared to be the only escape from reality, they realized that hours had gone by only when their eyes began to sting when looking into the darkness that existed beyond the screen. The urge to distract themselves from real life kept their eyes on the light until they tore themselves away and turned in the other direction in an endless effort to get some rest. After spending too long in their head they noticed a bright light emanating from the crack between the window and the shades. Expecting sleep to continue to evade them, the decision to remove the visual divider was not difficult. Tugging at the string revealed the sliver of light's source and transformed the window into a doorway. An opportunity to be immersed in a brighter world where reflected light left almost nothing untouched. 

    One foot followed the other into the chilled air where a constant wind swept the thin layer of fallen snow across the ground. There was silence, save for the breeze shuffling through the trees, creating a nearly perfect serene setting of stability. Crouched with only the rough shingles to keep them from falling, they closed their eyes for a second and could sense the frigid blow temporarily freezing their arms and face. With open eyes, they lifted their head backward, basking in the light. All the noise and sharp air seemed to cease. The full moon's shine softened the darkness above, interrupted only by varying sizes of glowing dots. The riveting sky held glimmering stars that shimmered behind the swinging branches. Some specks shone fainter than others but when huddled closer together, they were nearly as bright as the larger stars that spread their gold, white light vast distances in all directions. The intense illumination of the moon was as addicting as the artificial light they had spent the night trapped in. Observing the sight, the presence of the slight layer of ice crystals was perceived as a large rainbow ring with the moon floating at its center. The combination of the sky and silence resulted in blissful and brilliant breath-taking beauty. The realization that gazing at each radiating star was a glimpse into the past practically paused the strange concept of time.

    The feeling of taking a breath for the first time momentarily freed them from the monotonous repetition of tension and stress. It allowed a second to actually appreciate and acknowledge the world they never asked to get stuck in.