Foreword:
Astheplaneslowlydescendsupontherunwayoftheairport,Icouldfeelmyheartbeatquickenwitheachpassingsecond.IthadbeenyearssinceIlastsawmyhometown,andIwasfilledwithanticipation,excitement,andahintofnervousness.AsIsteppedoutoftheairport,Iinhaledthefamiliarscentofmyhomeland,andforamoment,Iclosedmyeyesandletoutadeepsigh.Iknewthatthistripwouldbespecial,andthemoonthatshoneuponmyhomelandwouldbemyconstantcompanion.
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AsIwalkedthroughthebusystreetsofmyhometown,Icouldn'thelpbutfeelasenseofnostalgiawashoverme.Theshops,thebuildings,andthepeoplewereallsofamiliar,andyet,itfeltliketimehadstoodstill.Thesunhadset,andtheskywasslowlyturningdark,butIknewthatsoonenough,themoonwouldriseandcastitssilverglowovereverything.
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Imademywaytowardsmyoldhouse,andasIapproachedit,Icouldn'thelpbutfeelapangofsadness.Myparentswerenolongeraround,andthehousefeltemptyandcold.However,asIlookeduptothesky,Isawthemoonhanginglow,anditcomfortedme.Itwasalmostasifitwastellingmethateventhoughthingsmaychange,somethingswillalwaysremainconstant.
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AsIsettledintomychildhoodbedroom,Icouldn'thelpbutnoticethewindowthatfacedeastward.Itwastheperfectspottoseethemoonriseeverynight,andIknewthatIwouldspendmanyeveningsgazingatitsbeauty.Iwonderedifmyparentshadeverdonethesamewhentheywerealive.
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Thenextday,Idecidedtotakeastrollthroughthenearbypark.Itwasaplacethatheldmanymemoriesforme,andIwaseagertoseehowithadchangedovertheyears.AsIwalkedthroughthepark,Inoticedanelderlymansittingonabench.Helookedupatmeandsmiled,andIreturnedthegesture.HethenpointedtowardstheskyandsaidsomethinginthelocaldialectthatIcouldn'tunderstand.
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Ishookmyheadandapologizedfornotunderstandinghim.Hethenpointedatthemoonandsaid,"Themoonisthesamewhereveryougo.It'sareminderthatnomatterwherelifetakesyou,youalwayshaveapieceofhomewithyou."Iwastouchedbyhiswords,andIfeltawarmthinmyheartthatIhadn'tfeltinalongtime.
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Asthedayspassed,Ispentmostofmytimereconnectingwitholdfriendsandvisitingfamiliarplaces.However,everynight,Imadesuretobeatmybedroomwindowtowitnessthemoonrise.Itwasaritualthatgavemepeaceandhelpedmereconnectwithmyroots.
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Onenight,asIgazedatthemoon,Iheardaknockonmydoor.Itwasmychildhoodfriend,andhehadcometotakemeoutforawalk.Wewalkedthroughthedesertedstreets,talkingaboutoldtimesandcatchinguponeachother'slives.Aswereachedasmallhilloutsideoftown,westoppedtocatchourbreath.
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Aswelookedouttowardsthetown,wenoticedhowdifferentitlookedinthemoonlight.Thebuildingsandstreetsseemedtoglow,andeverythinglookedlikeitwascoveredinasilverblanket.Myfriendthenturnedtomeandsaid,"Themoonislikeamagicspellthattransformseverythingittouches."
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Aswewalkedbacktowardsmyhouse,Ifeltasenseofcontentmentwashoverme.Irealizedthatmyhometownwasnotjustaphysicalplacebutafeeling,asenseofbelongingthatIcarriedwithmewhereverIwent.Themoonwasthebridgethatconnectedmetothatfeeling.
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Thenextday,Idecidedtovisitthenearbyriverthatranthroughtown.Itwasaplacethatheldmanyfondmemoriesforme,andIwantedtorelivethem.AsIsatbytheriverbank,Inoticedanelderlywomanwalkingtowardsme.Shehadabasketofflowersinherhand,andshesmiledatme.
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ShesatdownnexttomeandaskedmeifIwasfromaroundhere.InoddedandtoldherthatIwasbornandraisedhere.Shethenpointedtowardsthemoonandsaid,"Themoonislikeamirror.Itreflectsthebeautyofthistownandallitsinhabitants."Ismiledatherwordsandfeltgratefulforthischanceencounter.
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Asthenightfell,Idecidedtotakeawalkthroughthericefieldsoutsideoftown.ItwasaplacethatIhadrarelyvisitedasachild,butitheldaspecialplaceinmyheart.AsIwalkedthroughthefields,Inoticedhowthemoonlightilluminatedthestalksofrice,makingthemlookliketheywerecoatedinsilver.
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Isatdownonasmallpatchofgrassandlookedupatthemoon.Foramoment,IfeltlikeIwastheonlypersonintheworld,andthemoonwasmysolecompanion.ItwasafeelingthatIwishedcouldlastforever.
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Asmytripcametoanend,IrealizedthatIhadgainedanewappreciationformyhometown.Themoonhadshownmethebeautyofthisplace,andithadremindedmeoftheimportanceofrootsandconnection.Iknewthatnomatterwherelifetookme,Iwouldalwayshaveapieceofmyhometownwithme.
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Onmylastnight,Idecidedtoclimbuptotherooftopofmyoldhouse.Itwasaplacewheremyparentsusedtotakemetowatchthemoonrise.AsIsatthere,Icouldn'thelpbutfeellikeachildagain.Themoonwasmychildhoodfriend,andithadaccompaniedmeonthisjourneybackhome.
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AsIlookedouttowardsthetown,Inoticedhowdifferentitlookedfromuphigh.Themoonseemedtobethecenterofeverything,andeverythingelserevolvedaroundit.Itwasahumblingrealization.
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AsImademywaybackinside,Inoticedasmallnoteonmybedsidetable.Itwasfrommyparents,anditread,"Themoonisalwayswithyou,evenwhenwearenot."Ifelttearswellingupinmyeyes,andIknewthatthistriphadbeenmorethanjustahomecoming.
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AsIpreparedtoleavethenextday,Imadesuretosaygoodbyetothemoon.Ithadbeenmyconstantcompanionthroughoutthistrip,andIknewthatitwouldalwaysholdaspecialplaceinmyheart.
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Astheplanetookoff,Ilookedoutofthewindowandsawmyhometowndisappearingintothedistance.However,asIlookeduptowardsthesky,Isawthemoonshiningbrightandclear.ItwasareminderthateventhoughIwasleaving,apieceofhomewouldalwaysbewithme.
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AsIlandedinmynewhome,Ifeltgratefulforthisexperience.Themoonhadshownmetheimportanceofconnectionandroots,andithadremindedmeofthebeautyofmyhometown.IthadbeenajourneythatIwouldneverforget.
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AsIsettledintomynewhome,Imadesuretokeepaneyeoutforthemoon.ItwasareminderthateventhoughIwasfarfrommyhometown,Iwasneveralone.Themoonwasmyconstantcompanion,anditwouldalwaysshineuponme,nomatterwherelifetookme.
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AsIendthistale,Iamremindedofthebeautyofthemoonthatshinesuponmyhomeland.Itisasymbolofconnection,roots,andtheimportanceofhome.Itisareminderthatnomatterwherelifetakesus,wealwayshaveapieceofhomewithus.
