Earth Hour 2009

 With the advent of Earth Hour, as my cousin and I switched off the lights and electrical appliances of our home and moved out into the verandah, we set the natural electrical signals in our gray matter clicking to think of an activity for the next one hour. However, the moment we stepped out of the door we realized that we didn't have to try too hard to find something to do, nature had already taken care of it and with a carefree mind unhampered by worries, the two of us listened to the dance of the white fairy god mothers, grayed with the weight of vapour, as they danced chaotically keeping in tune with the rhythm of Nature. Nothing seemed more pleasing to our eyes than the music of this blissful celebration of the ladies draped in white and gray, the music of those tiny droplets that gradually filled out into hearty drops of water. Unable to hold ourselves back any longer Maneet and I joined in the festivities and danced to the rhythm of the rainfall.

And as I sang songs that I had learned in my choir, the silence of the human world made more beautiful by the darkness and the pitter patter of nature's feet, made the music sound eerily beautiful. Nothing else but a graciously proper combination of Nature's elements could have made my cousin (used to listening to blaring Punjabi songs) sit through a soprano's high pitched performance.

After accepting his kind compliments, we looked around us at our neighbours' houses, curious to know if they too were being a part of this exhilarating movement by switching off their lights. We realized that though there were many who knew about the Earth hour, there were still a few people who had not turned off their lights. My cousin and I looked at each other and without further hesitation rushed out of the gate to bring out our next door neighbours. As aunty came to answer our call we politely explained to her the importance of the hour and how she too could be a proud participant by switching off the lights in her house. My neighbour is a nice lady and she willingly became "member number NEXT" of the Earth Hour. Encouraged by our success we rushed to three other houses in our lane and convinced the owners to turn off the maximum number of lights in their homes. As we walked back to our house, the rain complimented by a cool breeze played around our feet, patted our backs and splashed freshness on our faces. With joy in our hearts and peace around us, Maneet and I hopped back to our home to make the most of the last ten minutes of a beautiful hour.