The View from Here

 

It wasn’t all that difficult getting to the top of the hill, and once there I could not only see the valley below, but I could actually smell many of the scents that were passing by on the breeze. 

Not everyone had gone to bed for the night.  There were quite a few houses in the valley, each with several lights on.  Some chimneys had curls of smoke drifting up and across, and smoke was one of the smells I identified. 

Every now and then a firefly would light up and then another.  I wondered if they were talking to each other or just showing off.  I had no idea what the insect world was thinking, and sharing the planet with so many, you’d think I’d take more of an interest.  There must be many more insects than there are people.

It’s a good thing they don’t build houses and have smoking chimneys. We wouldn’t be able to walk around without stepping on them and have them crunch under our shoes.  They already have their hands full, avoiding being eaten by birds, lizards and spiders.

As the house lights below disappeared, I could see more and more stars.  The night sky really is amazing. It wasn’t all that comfortable standing there looking up, and as I had nothing to sit on, I made myself comfortable on the ground, leaning against a rock. 

I was enjoying the possibility of seeing something, anything streak across the night sky, but then a thought came to me.  Again, it was about the insects.  Now, here I sat in their world, right at ground level.  Possibly surrounded by millions of them.  I couldn’t even imagine all the different kinds.  Each one stranger looking than the last, and of course some that bite.

It was difficult to focus on the heavens while thinking I was probably someone’s dinner.  Tiny creatures feasting on me as I sat there, possibly crushing some of their houses or family members.  I was an unwelcome monster, blocking out their sky with my bigness.

I felt I should leave, but making my way down the hill at night would not be easy.  I have no flashlight or walking stick, nothing but me against the downward pull of gravity.  I guess I wasn’t thinking ahead.  I was too busy enjoying the night sky. 

It could be that on some other planet, we might be the insects, but I’ll think about that after I get back down off of this hill.

 

 

ZC