The sun had set. The heat of the day was finally fading and the breeze was cool and constant. With everyone else in bed, I had taken myself down to the end of the village to enjoy the night air and look at the heavens.

Stupid grin on my face, I stood quite still, looking at the sky, watching the kite dance in front of the stars, feeling the gentle tug-tug-tug of the line in my hand, listening to the quiet whispering of the three-ribbon tail, and simply letting joy suffuse my entire being. In the distance, the geese compared notes on the day and the trees swayed gently, but here, the wind was for me: it lifted the kite, it cooled my body, it spoke of contentment, of peace and of things being OK just for the moment.

Eventually, I had to submit to life once more. I reeled in the kite and walked slowly home through the night, furling my wings for now but holding on to the joy of flight in the darkness.