Cotton candy clouds by Arhonda Luman

 My eyes were uncooperative as I tried to open them. The  egotistical sun was so sure I wanted to see it, that it gushed  its  brilliance through my bedroom window like the high tide of the ocean. The exhibition of light,  like a pesky child taunted me to wake up. Inwardly I moaned. There was no one to hear me fuss about being awake, so I grumbled to myself. It was with a certain amount of expertise, I am certain. I wasn’t fussing at the sun, it has had the same job forever, it was me I was scolding. My twin consciences, were at odds. One said, “Time to get up my dear,” and the other told me how much I deserved to lie abed if I wanted. As usual, my lazy self waved the white flag of surrender to the one that said get up!

I slid off the side of the bed and turned, ever so slightly to look out my window. The sky was amazing! The blues were bright and clean as if the sky had been freshly laundered. The clouds were a rare color of pink and white and it made me think of cotton candy.  I had seen that color one other time, when I had only been married a short while. I washed a red towel in the same wash as my husbands white undies.  I nearly fainted when I saw them but I didn’t have as big of reaction to the pink as he did.  I didn’t take a picture of his pink undies but I wanted to capture the clouds in their captivating  allure. By the time I found my phone, ran to the window to get the perfect shot, opened the camera to snap the pic, the moment was lost. The sun, being dedicated to its job of lighting and warming the world, had risen higher. The clouds had turned orange. I tried to not be disappointed because it seemed such a little thing……but my ever thinking mind spoke to me and said, “Time slips away like the cotton candy clouds. Do not take for granted the things that give  you pleasure. Seize every opportunity to capture the memories so you do not forget. They may not return.”