The Arc of Selene

By: Fatima Winniclare Jayme

Image by author

One day, a young astronomer named Clare lived in a universe where time was bent like the moon’s phases and the sky communicated secrets through color. A celestial arc, appearing once every hundred years, closely monitored the peaceful mountain town where Clare resided. According to legend, the curtain between realms parted when the moon rushed across the sky in all of its phases at the same time, allowing one to see through the illusion of light and dark.

Rather than pursuing fame or fortune, Clare had dedicated her life to studying the stars and deciphering the cycle of change. Sunsets, her poet mother told her, were invitations to reflect, replenish, and rise again, not ends. As a businessman, her father believed in the cyclical nature of life. Clare saw the universe as being inextricably linked to her childhood experiences rather than abstract.

The sky was a kaleidoscope of unfathomable colors the night before the heavenly arc reappeared, with indigo merging into amber and clouds dancing like angels’ paintbrushes. Low in the sky, the sun cast a warm, golden light over the mountains, while the moon swung smoothly through its phases. Clare stood alone on the peak, notebook in hand, heart open, as the locals watched in amazement.

As the arc reached its greatest point, the atmosphere was filled with a soft cadence of reminiscence rather than music. Clare saw pictures of her joyful childhood playing under the twinkling stars, the quiet grief of death, and the strength to choose her own path through life. The moon said to her, phase by phase, “Start. Grow.” Be dazzling. Continue to think. Get some sleep. Start anew.

Clare quickly grasped the situation. The ark was in no sense a spectacle. It was a mirror. A lovely reminder that all lives, like the moon, progress through many stages. That light and darkness are equally sacred. The horizon simply says, “Look again,” at the end of each day.

She descended the mountain with greater clarity than answers. She went on to teach others about stars and resilience. How to read the sky for poetry rather than weather forecasting.

Until next time.