Feeling the Tranquil Heat Death of the Universe #CreativeWriting

Nights on the lake have always been beautiful. I’ve been coming here for three years by myself and when people ask, I tell them “I’m off to catch god in the act” No, actually, I say “I’m going to find some rocks, lay on some them and look at the stars for a few days” and, “…it’s really beautiful out there…”

There is a small, flat, granite patch about 2 miles from the single-lane road. I like to get there in the middle of the night. In fact, that is the only time I arrive at this particular place, and, I’d know that if I did any preparing for the trip online or in a book. As it goes, I just happened upon this place and I like it that way. I spend energy keeping it that way.

I’ve never found a sign or taken the time to investigate how high my rocky spot by the lake is, but it has to be at least ninety-nine miles high. There isn’t any wind, or air for that matter, the lake is always a mirror for the night, frozen crystal clear. Breathing should be difficult right? living should be a real challenge. The humanness in me should require a source of oxygen other than the atmosphere.

As soon as I can, I take out my mat, lay down on the flat granite patch and look up.

As I stare, the stars, although specks, gain their dimensionality, their true depth and I let my body feel that. Conscious mind meet sleeping mind, I let my body separate, some pieces staying with the closer specks, some pieces being taken far, far away. I let the universe tear me apart so I can sense the true volume of my soul. It takes a few minutes to let go actually, it isn’t instant. It is a process I undertake to let my bits un-mix themselves and gravitate toward and orbit the incoming streams of photons. We bounce off Earth together, my bit, the photons, out across the silky expanse. Like Star Trek in real life. Maybe this will be the time the photons don’t bounce back, maybe enough of them will slow down out there with the rest of it.

That, is tranquil, that is energy changing states. When I slow down, it is potential that I gain.

On the third day, I wake up, the view is several flat, long, purple, bald mountains against a foreground of calm flat water. I put the mat in my truck and I find my way back. Breathing again.