Ahh...listen to the voice of shooting stars!

An email popped up on my G-talk late Wednesday morning from Nithya- “Shall we go check out the meteor showers tonight?” I immediately remembered myself standing in the fields of Harpenden exactly two years back watching the amazing streaks of light pass through that pretty starry night and replied with an enthusiastic “YES”!

After Monica and I finished our scrumptious Indian Fish Curry and Chapatti dinner, Nithya’s mum, Nithya and Shradha picked us up in the Black Honda CRV and drove off towards Emirates Road. Except for Nithya who had her eyes on the road, the four of us already started looking towards the sky for anything unusual flashing by. As we turned over to the Bab Al Shams Road I noticed a silver light blinking and then realized it was a plane so laughed it out loud saying “OMG! I saw that light there and thought it was a shooting star” to which Nithya replied back “Me too”. Not a split second later that light started bouncing in the sky from one end to the other bright as ever. With all four of us yelling in the car, Nithya pulled over in the sand, we jumped out and it just stopped! I’d never seen a shooting star like that before, it looked different. Shradha reckoned we were witnesses to a UFO sighting in Dubai.

We finally drove into a little area where there were no street lights and humongous wheels which looked like they’ve fallen from the sky and now ready to transform to autobots and primes! As we stepped out the jeep we realized Monica was still sitting inside afraid of various things – spirits, ghosts, bushes, strangers who may pass by, being kidnapped or even those gigantic wheels actually transforming into something! I’m sure she was hoping it would be a prime and not a decepticon so that it would protect her! Slowly, we felt our necks straining as some of us were lying on the car bonnet staring into the Middle Eastern sky. Often we’d scream, “There’s one there! Oh! Wait, no – it’s just a plane.” I can’t remember how many times we mixed that one up. We continued pulling Monica’s leg for a while with the occasional “Boo’s” & “Ooh’s”. Oh! What fun that was, I remember twitching her at the back and freaking her out when she was deeply checking the sky out for some shooting stars, but afraid this time too it was one of those winged vehicles travelling in the night sky!

Next stop – McDonalds drive through and a fuel pump. All stocked up with some mcNuggets, French fries, bbq sauce and chocolate sundaes, we were now back on the highway on the lookout for a darker, quieter, deserted area to spy on the sky. We came up to a roundabout where to the right it read “Local Access only” to which Monica said “Oh no, we can’t go there” but that didn’t stop Nithya. She was more fascinated in the dark road ahead. Another sign followed the red and white construction cones, “Deep Excavation” to which I shrieked, “Nithya, let’s turn and go back – now we can’t see if we fall into a massive ditch!” But Yea, she didn’t react – she kept driving ahead on the long and lonely road where not a soul existed which was away from the metropolitan Dubai life. It felt like this is where we had to be.

So we pulled over on the side and after a bit of hesitation, we slowly stepped onto the road with the thick layers of silky sand on either side. Monica was the last to get off, cross checking if someone followed us here and probably wanted us as a midnight snack! As we were all feeling the night serenity, I had to go and let out a massive “Gino shriek!” as I saw that same streak of light that amazed me two years ago! It was as bright as diamonds being tossed through the sky. So I continued jumping around with what I saw but no one seemed to believe me. They thought I was making things up. But I was self satisfied. I knew what I saw and it wasn’t a joke or a lie. It was a one out of a hundred million wonders our God has done. He sprinkles those little silver specs of dust to show us that no matter how ever unpleasant dust may seem – that it can leave a shiny trail of a future waiting to follow. We may have our rough patches in life, confusing decisions to make, being let down by people we love and stuck in a certain part of our life not being able to move neither right or left. But, we shouldn’t forget the remaining bit of our lives left. There is a strong possibility that your life of misery & dust can have a glittery trail following you. I know our God just didn’t leave those dust particles flying in the sky for no reason – I believe he placed it there for a special reason. And to what you are thinking I say, “No! I don’t know what the reason is!” But he does, just how he knows the reason for the dust particle in our lives. Trust him and let him in – he’ll bring the glow to your life.

As the night continued, we five ladies lay on the mats and witnessed more shootings stars as they zoomed across the sky convincing the others too that I really did see it before. At around 2am we were startled by our watcher saying that she saw a torch flashing not too far away which meant there was a soul lurking around. We jumped up, pulled the mats off and as were waiting to get into the car, Nithya couldn’t find her car keys! I think I could hear Monica’s heart pounding. So we dusted the mats and sheets and there it fell. Before you knew it, we were back in the car on our way back home bidding “Good Night” to the meteors that amazed all of us.

All in all it was a simple and fun night out in the desert talking science & astrology, meteors & planets, UFO's & aliens and playing jokes & pranks! We all conked off as Nithya drove back and hit the bed immediately after showering off the sand. As I dozed off that night recapping the day’s events, what seemed to amaze me the most was experiencing those shooting stars once again speak to me…… as they never cease to inspire me!