"Hey, the moon is following us!" said my little brother who sat next me.

I explained to Chien that the moon was not actually gliding along with our car. After a quite moment, he said slowly "But Crystal, it really is moving. I can see it" I looked at his face, a grim face full of observation.

I think again as mom drived in silence. The moon, it was one day short of fullness. It looked as if it rode with us, gliding smoothly, then bouncing over bumpy stretches. Now on my right, then straight ahead. The silver light washing over dry grasses in the open fields. Finally disappeared behind black branches.

After we passed behind the branches, there it was again - grown suddenly immense, ripe, flooding the town with a sprawling light so magical that I began to see why it's said to inspire 'looniness'

In a moment later, finally we reached home. Chien jumped out of the car and ran towards the door. Before going in, he glanced at the moon, half hidden now behind dark swirls of clouds. Then at me, and went inside.

Time passed. A month later, time for the moon to become full bloom again. I walked home late that night staying a little bit later at school. There it was, the moon. I began recalling the conversation with Chien last month in the car.

Chien was already in bed "Close your eyes, come see what followed me home" I told him, adding that dramatic impact. I lead him out into he night "OK! Open your eyes! Isn't it beautiful?"

Chien blinked and looked at me "Crystal, it's just the moon. Is this the surprise?" I supposed he was hoping for a puppy.

I should have realized that, being only 8 years old he was probably too young to know about the magic and romance of moonlight - a light that is nothing like the harsh glare of the sun that it reflect upon. How the moonlight softens our faults, all shabbiness that seemed to dissolved into shadows. It erases the myriad details of the crowd and rush us out in the sunlight, leaving only sharp outlines and highlights. A broad brushstroke - the fundamental shape of things.

Often in the soothing, restorative glow we stared transfixed. Bouncing our ambitions, hopes and plans off from this great reflector. We dreamed our dreams. We examined the structures of our lives. Make considered decisions. In a hectic and confusing world, we step out into a quite and clear beam of moonlight.

The night after I showed Chien the moon, he suddenly burst into my room "Crystal, come out for a minute!" This time, he lead me out coatless and shivering.

The driveway gravel crunching underneath our shoes. From somewhere behind the black branches, the sky opening up the full moon behind it. It is suspending so precariously close to us. Even larger and more breathtaking than the night before. Climbing its motionless climb over the dark skies. Encircled by a halo of 7 colors around it. Even a 8 year old could see that this wasn't the moon. This was The Moon.

When I turned around, Chien was grinning, expectant, studying my face intently to see if he had pleased me. He had.

I knew that the moon was following him too.