I used to live in a two-story house with a terrace. My grandmother’s potted plants that ranged from Carnations to Euphorbias were lined up on the edge near the railings. If you look into the distance, you’ll see parts of the ocean. The sound of the endless waves was especially noticeable at night when the rest of the world fell silent.
Up above the sky, the stars glisten as they fill the dark canvas like glitters. Some nights, the moon is so bright it lights up the entire town like it’s the day. Some nights, its shine stays in the sky, forming a huge and perfect halo made just for gazing in wonder.
At the time, I didn’t know how precious they were. It always felt like I’ll have them forever. My mind had always dreamed of the city. I had no idea how much I was going to miss all that I used to have until tonight. When I closed my eyes, I remembered the beautiful picture of what my evenings used to be like. I could almost hear the waves. The longing for the days of old is all-consuming. I wish I had cherished them more. I wish I had stared at the sky longer. I wish I had breathed the evening breeze more deeply and inhaled the salty air as I listened to the crashing waves.
It’s times like these that make me realize how time just keeps moving forward. It never stops and would never turn back. All that’s in the past remains in the past. No matter how much you relive the moments, they will never come back. You’ll only have memories to remember. Like the stars in the sky, you can behold their beauty, but never hold them.
At least, I was there once. At least, I keep the image in my heart. And once in a while, like tonight, I remember the place where I used to live.