Looking Up From My Pool

The other evening, as twilight fell over the house, I went out to the pool to relax for a few minutes after a rough day. I did not even take a glass of wine with me--I just changed into my swim suit and went to the pool to relax.

The air was heavy and humid. That summertime kind of air that lets you know it is there. So heavy it does not even carry the fragrances of the flowers with it.

The pool and the air temperature were nearly the same, yet even so, laying on my floatie it was relaxing and serene.

There was no wind.

I leaned back on my floatie as far as I could and looked up into the darkening sky to see my friends--the bats, maybe as many as 10 of them, maneuvering through the air to reduce the ever growing mosquito population.

I watched the bats dance in the air for a long time--mesmerized by the patterns they flew and awed by the ballet playing out before my eyes.

In summers past, occasionally one of them would swoop down and skim the surface of the pool for a drink of water, but not tonight--the mosquitoes were higher up and that is where these stealthy hunters stayed.

I longed to dance in the air like the bats. It reminded me of when I used to think I wanted to fly jet fighters and scream off into the sky like a modern knight on his steed armed long-range lances slung under each wing.

But, here I was, enjoying their winged dance. Relaxing in my pool--which is one of my favorite places.

And then--in the ever darkening sky--there it was. A solitary point of light that just pushed its way into my vision.

I thought of the saying--

"Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
have the wish I wish tonight."

And I could not think of anything to wish for.

Another star poked its way through the ever darkening sky and broke off my thought. I noticed again the bats, and the ever growing number of stars and I began to paddle to the side of the pool because I remembered I had things to accomplish before the night was fully upon me.

But my time alone in the heavy, still summer air watching the bats and noticing the stars is something I will remember for a long time.