Be at Least the Moon
Long ago, on an ordinary night, the stars were shining brightly. The Moon was full and glowed with happiness spreading her light all around. Everywhere was calm and below the Moon the people slept. The rested quietly from the toils of the day before and gathered strength for the challenges that waiting for them when they awoke.
A thought then came to the Moon - she asked herself “Am I governing the world?”
She then became disturbed by the farewell of the stars. Slowly they vanished around her and in her distress, she shouted, “Hey wait! Where are you going?” She noticed her own light dimming and she slumped into sadness as she saw rays of light creeping into the night from the East.
“Soon I will be no more,” she whispered to herself as the Sun prepared to take her crown and control of the world. He was the King of the Day. Now, the world would no longer be calm and peaceful. The people, animals, birds, and trees - all life toiling on the earth - would follow the sun. Even now, with every passing second, the Moon saw the world stirring from its quiet slumber and resume its state of urgency.
The Moon could only sit and watch, shoved aside by the brilliance of the sun that rendered her glow no more than a pale beam of light. As the days came and went, the Moon became more and more depressed, gradually losing her roundness and becoming thin.
“No one cares about me,” she cried. “I am a useless creature. The Sun is lucky. Everyone needs him. He is strong and hold all the power.” With each passing day, thoughts that she was nothing in the face of the Sun began to tear at her heart.
Having no place to run, the Moon looked deep inside herself and slowly, ever so slowly, began to make peace with her situation. As the days passed by her sadness began to lessen and she began to gain weight. In no time, the Moon was once again full and again she took her place watching over the clam and peaceful world below her.
However, her thoughts were still heavy. “People do not need me,” she sighed. “When I come everyone goes to sleep. No one admires me, no one needs me. Why was I ever created? It’s not fair.”
Suddenly, the Moon saw a large group of men with their camels moving below her through the desert. She saw that they were worried.
“What are they doing there at midnight?” she asked herself.
As the Moon turned her full attention on the men, one of them looked up to her and shouted happily to his friends, “There is the kind Moon. Look, now we can find our way home.” Quickly the group began walking and soon they were back on the right track making their way out of the dangerous desert.
Once out of harm’s way, they thanked God and they gave a grateful look to the Moon. No sooner had they gone, a dangerous storm descended upon the desert and for a moment even the Moon was scared by its ferocity. As the wind whipped up the sand before her, she suddenly realized the importance of her role in the world.
She shouted above the roar of the storm, “Look what I have done! I have saved many lives this night from the hazardous storm. These people are now safe. Even with the warm presence of the Sun, people still need me. I am not an unnecessary y creature – I also have tasks to do.”
The realization that the Moon had an important role to play in the world changed her. She now understood her responsibilities to the world, her given tasks, and her importance.
That night she looked at herself and saw how beautiful she was. She sighed, “I do have beauty. Look at my silvery, cool light. See how that man looked at me when I saved him and his friends.” The Moon was so changed she carried on admiring herself all night.
“I may not be the King of the Day,” she laughed, “but at least I am the Queen of the Night! I have real responsibilities to the world and all that lives in it. I was not created in vain. Thank you, God. You gave me life, You gave me a location and You showed me the right way to go.”
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