Light in the Dark

The insecurities, the imperfections, the melancholy of life. Looking up at the lights shining brightly in the night sky, Kanna felt all of her qualms leave her.

What did it matter that she'd messed up one test? What did it matter that she'd messed up a bunch of them?

Plenty, she told herself with a sigh. But not quite enough to live the rest of my life in regret.

The evening sky was just perfect. A cool but refreshing breeze formed slow, gentle ripples on the serene river surface in front of her. Overhead the stars twinkled brightly in the clear, moonless sky.

Even the moon has days when it's not there, when it loses its light.

A figure nudged her gently and pointed to the open river in front of her. The city of lights winked dazzlingly at her from the other side of the river. "Look, it's starting!" her brother exclaimed.

Suddenly, the dark center of the lake was illuminated by a blinding, white glow. Kanna watched in excitement as yet another beam of light cut through the darkness. She heard a grunt of surprise from behind her accompanied by her great-aunt's call. "Oh, isn't that something!" She exclaimed, turning to Kanna's grandmother to discuss the scene before them.

"I wish they could have at least colored those lights." Her mother muttered quietly beside her.

"But then you wouldn't be able to see them as clearly as thiss." Her cousin responded from nearby.

All at once the beams began to move, their light leaving the faintest trail as they repositioned themselves in a new formation.

Kanna heard the shutter of a camera click, accompanied by her father's triumphant cries. "Yes! That's a good one for sure. Come see!"

As her family gathered around the tiny, pitch black screen to wait for the image to develop and be displayed, Kanna took a step back from the group to look around her. She felt overcome with feelings of contentment.

Amae.

That was the word. Although there was no single English word word to describe her feelings, Kanna felt that the Japanese equivalent fit the situation quite well. She miled. Amae: a feeling of acceptance; a feeling of belonging. To Kanna, that was the only thing in the world that she needed.