In the Blue Veil of the Night

One should look back at what one did to get to this point and one has to be very careful of what one wishes for.

This is really a prelude to Valentine's Day but before you cringe at the impending mushy-ness hear me out.

It begins a few nights before the full moon in October, years ago. My friends and I had climbed up on the ladder and were staring at the moon from their roof. We had been watching as she had slowly blossomed and soon she would reach her fullest. It was silent and we were kept warm by the blanket of a starry night sky above us. Our entertainment was the shifts and movements of the glittering lights before us and our conversations.

We had been dabbling in the occult and we felt it was an opportune time to cast a few spells when the moon was at her brightest and strongest. We spent the following nights deciding what was needed and which spells to perform. There were the various spells of money, love and the occasional thunderstorm. What any teenager would ask for.

The night of the full moon we gathered in someone's backyard and brought out the cauldron (someone's old pot), wands (twigs broken off the nearest tree), various herbs (bottles of Pathmark brand oregano etc.) dried and fresh flowers (I was handy with drying flowers and had a full collection. The fresh ones were plucked from mom's garden). A few candles (nubs because that's all we could find) and of course the book of spells. We were dressed in black. I in black jeans and black hoodie.

We decided that what we had on hand were the ingredients for a love spell and so that was the first spell to be cast. We stood at our corners, I being east and since really this spell was meant for me, I went first. We said the chant, one of us holding the book while trying to hold hands, passing the book around for the next person to read their line until we ended it. Something to the effect of
"I am the east. Full moon above bring me my true love by the next full moon"
then we sprinkled the ingredients into the cauldron full of water bathed in moon light.

We were getting ready for the next spell when someone's grandmother popped out and asked us what we were doing. Hastily we called out that it was nothing and collected the various herbs and pressed flowers, candles and the book. There we parted ways, forgetting the cauldron, on my part because it was one of theirs and I figured they'd collect it later.

It was only later I found out that no one took up the cauldron and really I did not think of it anymore. We had to forgo our nightly trysts and spell casting because the blanket of night sky was not enough to keep us warm on the roof. Besides, their neighbors had said something and we had to end that. So we spent the rest of that year warm and cozy before the television or in the kitchen nibbling at treats.

A month later I was surprised by a fellow named Rich, who came along...
It was only looking back when I realized that it was the full moon when he and I met.

Some strange work that one can cast out a call and pull forth someone so kind, simple, funny and full of love for me.