The U.S. Open Tennis Championships is concluding this Sunday (9/9) in New York City, and as we speak (9/7), I am in Switzerland for a short vacation before flying back to Hong Kong – my hometown – for a family visit.
But last Friday (8/31), I was literally over the moon because I was among tens of thousands of tennis lovers in attendance at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Needless to say, I am a tennis fan. I love the sport of tennis, – love to play, love to watch the game on TV or in person. And the U.S. Open is one of the most spectacular spectator experiences in my life that I want to re-engage – as often as possible. So, I always try to get a ticket and ask a friend to join almost every year when I’m in town – my adopted hometown – New York.
Last Friday, there was an extra special reason that I was especially excited – beyond being at the U.S. Open, beyond watching Andy Roddick playing at his last U.S. Open before retirement. That special reason, believe it or not – is the moon – the “rare blue moon.”
I’ve always been fascinated by the moon – the fifth largest satellite of the Solar System – the only natural satellite of the Earth – as Wikipedia reminds us.
The Moon, the biggest brightest object in the sky after the Sun, always put a smile on my face every time I see it. I find myself forever mystified by its magical presence, and transported by its stunning beauty.
On this U.S. Open Friday night with my head bowed (my seat is all the way at the top of the stadium) to watch Andy Roddick at his best, I also found myself looking up and seeking out the “blue moon.” When my friend Vinton got up from his seat and shouted – “here it is!” – everyone around us looked in the same direction with us, and marveled at the moon.
I stood up too, and saw the ”blue moon” hanging eerily close to us – as if it were a neighbor – hanging out with us.
While folklore may lead you to believe that bizarre events could creep up in the night when there’s a “blue moon,” I was instantly elated at the sight of it.
I know how rare this phenomenon is, as astrological theory explains that only once every couple of years do we see a full moon rise twice in the same month. The next time a blue moon can be seen, according to astronomers, is on July 31, 2015.
With that in mind, I smiled within – asking myself “where would I be then?”
My hometown – Hong Kong? My adopted hometown – New York?
“Raise your head to see the bright moon. Bow your head to remember your hometown.” (举头望明月, 低头思故乡”)
This famous line from a popular Chinese poem, most-recited by Chinese middle-school children everywhere, suddenly popped into my head. With my head bowed, I see Roddick roaring – with my head lifted, I see “the rare moon” – my heart soars. Yes, I remember my hometown – I’ll be there in a few days!
美国网球公开赛即将在九月九号本周日在纽约落下帷幕，而九月七号，是我飞往香港回家探亲的前夕，我会在瑞士作短暂的停留和旅行。但在上周五八月三十一号的时候，我还在在阿瑟阿什球馆，在上万网球迷的簇拥下让自己的心走到了月亮之上。
毫无疑问，我是个网球迷，我对于网球这项运动真的很热爱，我喜欢打球，也喜欢看比赛，有时在电视上，有时亲临现场呐喊助阵。而美网正是我一生中最想重复体验的最壮观也是最美妙的网球经历之一。所以每年只要我在纽约，这个我的第二故乡，我都会拿着美网的门票，约上朋友，前去观战。
上周五除了身在美网现场，感受着那股热烈激昂的情绪，除了可以见证安迪.罗迪克在退役前的最后一次美网之旅，还因为一个特别的原因更是让我无比的兴奋。不管你信不信，这个特别的原因只是当晚的月亮，一轮罕见的湛蓝明月。
我一直都被月亮那深邃的美深深的吸引着，这太阳系的第五大卫星，正如维基百科所提醒的那样，月亮也是地球独一无二的天然卫星。
月亮，这个在太阳休息的时候独耀夜空最大最亮的发光体，对我有一种魔力，因为每当我向它望去，心中的美妙就会在不知不觉中爬上我的脸颊，让笑容荡漾。我会为月亮的神奇魔力所陶醉，会为它惊艳的美丽所动容。
周五晚上的美网比赛，我低着头关注着（我的位置是在球馆的最高处）安迪.罗迪克最好的发挥，我也会偶尔仰望星空，找寻那一轮动人的蓝月亮。当我的朋友Vinton从他的位置上站了起来呼喊着“它在这儿呢”，我们身边的每个人都朝着同样的方向看去，为那轮明月惊叹。此时我也站了起来，看着那扣人心弦的蓝月亮，神奇地悬挂在离我们很近的地方，就如同我们的邻居一般，和我们一起出来逛逛。
尽管民间传说里恐怖可怕的灵异事件总是发生在中天蓝月的夜晚，但我每当看到如此景象的时候却总是为它的美而欢饮鼓舞。
要知道这是一件多么罕见的事情，因为从星象理论来看，同一个月内有两次满月的出现，这样的事要每两年才可能发生一次。据天文学家的推算，下一次蓝月亮出现的时间将会是2015年的7月31号。这个时间不断的在我的脑海中浮现，我微笑地在心里询问自己，那时的我将会在哪里呢？我的家乡香港？还是继续留在我的第二故乡纽约？“举头望明月，低头思故乡”，这是中国一首知名的古诗中最著名的思乡诗句，在中国几乎所有的中学生都会背，而此时正是这句诗突然的闯入了我的脑海。低下头看，罗迪克正在咆哮着追逐自己的胜利。抬起头来，望着罕见的月相，我心潮澎湃。是的，我一直记挂着我的家乡，几天以后我便会回归故里欣赏在我家乡上空的蓝月亮。