Essays that Worked!

Kyle Yager '09
Deerfield Academy, Greenfield, Massachusetts

I am a rock: a stubborn, immovable boulder. I am a silent sentinel, watching, waiting, steadfast with arms akimbo. The cool, late August breeze cuts through my t-shirt and raises goose bumps on the back of my neck. I shiver but there is no reason to worry. The sun has set and it won't be much longer now. I am determined and focused. I could remain at my post if it took ten years for the moon to rise. The hint of a superior chuckle begins deep in my chest. I am the champion of this game and I am confident that I will be the first to see the moon tonight.

Moon-spotting has become a tradition in my family. Beginning as just harmless sport, it has developed into an intensely competitive race whenever we get together for fire-cooked marshmallows and hot dogs in my aunt's backyard. On weekend evenings in the summertime, my mother, father, older brother and I often make the short trek across the street to my aunt and uncle's house where we set up our chairs and lay out our feast in preparation for a long night of sticky marshmallow fingers, teary, smoke-filled eyes and moon spotting. My aunt and uncle's backyard abruptly ends with an embankment that overlooks the Connecticut River and provides a breathtaking view of the Pioneer Valley. It is along the edge of this precipice, on a slight piece of land that juts out from the natural face of the ravine that we have established a permanent fire pit positioned so that, when the sun sets, it is in perfect view of the moon as it rises.

Moon-spotting, very simply is a competition to see who can spy the moon first as it rises over the shadowed mounds which, only hours before, were the vibrant pine-covered hills of western Massachusetts. To me, it is significantly more than just a child's game; it is a symbol of opportunity. Every night the moon makes its tireless trip across the sky without complaint and I can't abide cleaning my room. When I compare my work to the moon's unflagging effort, I am motivated to work with the same dogged determination. Coupled with the spirit of competition and the beautiful feeling of sharing it with my family, I cannot think of a more compelling experience than moon-spotting.

I realize that my family is not as excited about the competition as I, but that does not diminish its significance to me. That small thrust of land where we spend our evenings around the fire is where I defend my title. There is never a prize for winning, perhaps an extra s'more, but no tangible reason to compete so intensely. For me it is that split second when you are completely captivated by the radiance of the moon that is unbelievably powerful. At 6, 10, or 18 years old, I will always enjoy those nights in my aunt's backyard, watching and waiting.

Last Modified: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 16:05