Final Memories

How do you describe a beauty so ethereal that it eclipses your every thought in captivating wonder?

This is one of many thoughts swimming through the mind of Juliet as she stares in fascination at the Aurora Borealis above her. Lay on her back, deep in the snow she cursed her lack of concentration when pitching up the campsite on one of the snowy peaks in Norway. She had got so wrapped up in the picturesque scenery around her that she had forgotten to push the pegs in the tent properly before the strong nighttime winds lifted it into the darkness.

Luckily, she still had her sleeping bag in her backpack so she lay inside it covered with a thick layer of snow to help insulate and block the bitter bite of the air around her. Unfortunately, as the night settled, the cold began to seep through causing her body to shiver uncontrollably.

With only part of her face uncovered, she watched as this stunning phenomenon flowed above her gracefully through the sky. But how to describe it? A green light contrasting against the dark just seems to fall short. In some historic cultures, the northern lights were the souls of the dead, their memories joined together in eternal harmony. A heartwarming thought, but for Juliet, it reminded her of life. A calm female voice filled her mind as memories flow through.

"If you can just lie back so I can rub this jelly on your stomach". The midwife was younger than Juliet and had a warm friendly smile that made her feel comfortable despite how nervous she was. This was their third visit to the hospital but this one was just as special as the first. Her husband was holding her hand tight with his eyes fixed on the monitor.

The pads are placed onto her stomach and the whole room turns completely silent. Everyone is staring at the screen. A quiet rhythmic thump can be heard quickly matched by a green line on the monitor bouncing up and down in tandem with the babies heartbeat. Tears fill her eyes as such a joyous sound roots deep into her mind never to be forgotten.

Juliet is jolted back to the present with a dull ache creeping up her leg. Pins and needles shoot through her thighs and fingers making her squirm and knocking off a layer of the snow. ‘Sigh, this must be the frostbite setting in’.

She knows people who have also been affected. Some experienced pain whilst some said they did not realise till it was too late. She hoped she was the latter.

Bringing her attention back to the captivating beauty that whirled around above her, she tried to focus her mind on more positive memories.

Red, amber, green and he was off. Okay, maybe off was a large overstatement. More like a chug chug before stalling the car. Trying to reassure a panicking son on his first time driving on the road whilst holding back fits of laughter was proving too difficult for Juliet as she burst out into a high pitched giggle.

Her sons ensuing panic along with the beeping of the car behind did not help much but eventually, she managed to calm down and help him get back moving. Before long he was driving with ease and she would never forget that overwhelming moment of pride when he came home after his test with the certificate with the bright green tick printed on the front.

With each passing memory, her body seemed to fill with the warmth of their love and happiness until the howl of the northern winds had now become almost a sweet lullaby gently singing her off to sleep. Juliet’s body was no longer shaking, the final memories of her family protected her as the last rasp of breath parted from her lips and her face settled into a frozen smile as she joined with those soaring carefree, high above.

"Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don't go along with that. The memories I value most, I don't see ever fading". - Kazuo Ishiguro