Time Stands Still

“The fireworks will start in five minutes, Juliet!”

His infectious smile beams up at me, and my little brother dashes back to his seat. From my lap, my youngest brother opens his eyes, heavy with sleep.

“Will they be loud?”

“Probably, but don’t worry, I’m here.”

He curls up firmly in a ball under my aunt’s jacket. The waves below crash and break, I look up at the stars. Nautical twilight. Brilliant and beautiful, marred only by the passing clouds.

I tell my little one the story of Gogmagog the giant, Geoffrey of Monmouth was my constant companion that whole day.

“And then! He challenged Gogmagog to a wrestling match!”

My voice leaps with excitement, he raises an eyebrow.

“You like this story, don’t you?”

I laugh and continue with the story. He tucks his head on my shoulder. Two seconds later, he moves his head to my other shoulder. Then back again. He sighs with exhaustion and content.
A resounding BOOM, and the fireworks begin. The huge expanse of the clear sky fills with dancing lights. My little one holds his hands to his ears and complains that it’s too loud. His sleepy mouth slurs the words together.

“Tooloud. Tooloud!”

I press my hands to his ears, and he rests again. A few seconds later.

“It’s like,” he pauses for a huge yawn, “popcorn. Too loud.”

I try hard not to laugh. “Popcorn?”

“Yeah, you know, pop! Pop! POP! But popcorn shouldn’t,” yawn, “it shouldn’t be wif the stars in the sky. It stays in the microwave.”

I assure him, the fireworks continue o’erhead.

“Just like popcorn, MA, yep.”

He raises his head again, “That’s a lot of popcorn, Juliet. A *lot* of popcorn.”

Laughing now, I just smile at him. A few minutes later, his heavy head drops onto my shoulder. Fast asleep. And the popcorn-sounding fireworks continue, brilliant displays of mischievous lights. It’s Gandalf... The glittering gold fairies gently descend the summer sky. All child play, and I love it. In perfect time, the grand finale bursts through the smoke screen now hovering above the ocean. We all cheer and clap, my sisters and I scream as loud as possible. So much fun. Then, everyone starts moving. Packing up after a long holiday at the beach, the people fill the sidewalks.

I’m sitting in the middle of it all, with a sleeping child on my lap, his head nestled on my shoulder. I lean my head back. The ocean breeze chases the smoke of the fireworks away with excitement, unveiling the stately stars. Arc to Arcturus, speed on to Spica, and vector to Vega. I slowly begin to recognize the timeless patterns in the sky, completely lost in my concentration. It’s almost like Life in Slow Motion. My mind slowly recognizes the Summer Triangle, people rush by, all around me. Movement, talk, pressing on. And I stay still. Time stands still, and the stars proclaim heavenly beauty and love.