Blood

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

I saw an Angel Through a Telescope

In 1986 I remember going to the country and into a wide open field. The reason for this trip was to try and spot Halley's Comet, who likes to visit every 75 years. I was with my Mom and for some reason I can't remember if it was my Uncle or my Dad that drove us to the field. I think that it was my Uncle, even though I remember my Dad being the one that was the most excited about finding the comet. While we were in the field very early in the morning, we looked in the direction that it was said to be, we did not see it. We looked toward the other directions, no comet. North, South, East, West. Nothing but stars. We did not see Halley's Comet that morning and we did not try to find it again. I was 11 in 1986, in 75 years I will be 86. I may get another chance to see it. Some people only get one chance, others are given a second chance. We only had one chance with you Frost.
In the mid-1990's another comet came to visit. It was called the Hale-Bopp Comet. That comet stayed within our sights for a long time. My Dad and I would go out in the evenings and wonder about it's trip through the universe. We had always had it in our heads that comets zoomed so swiftly through the night sky that one would be lucky to glimpse the tail-end of it. Well the Hale-Bopp Comet was visable in the sky for weeks and maybe months. It wasn't what we expected but we could see it. We did not miss that comet. It was a second chance to see a comet of a different kind.
Having the opportunity to gaze at such a rare creation, reminds me of the time we had with you. We tried to find you, but you were the fast comet the one we couldn't find in the night sky. The comet of our imagination. Maybe we will get a second chance once more. Maybe the slow comet will come and remain with us for a time. Maybe that comet will spark memories of you. It will be different, but it will bring us closer to knowing what the reality of you would have been. Maybe someday we will have a visitor almost just like you.
Night, night Frost
Mama loves you.

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