There had been a fierce storm in the past three days, we were told, that was why the morning was so bright, clouds snow white, grass so clean. Covered by a huge stretch of vigorous green, it was really hard to tell that there was such thing as border between Canada and the U.S., except for that river which was still invisible. The sun was so young and the air so fresh, still my mind was a mess. On our way to the great falls, I couldn't utter one word. It did not look like an auspicious day from the get-go...
Then I heard the sound of water--it was a deep, deep roar, something or somebody with an enormous magical power trying to awake my sinking soul. Suddenly my eyes were wide open and I was presented with a wide open sky, graceful clouds. And that tremendous curtain of emerald jade.
The elevator took us to the river and to the "Maid of the Mist" who would take us for a short but dangerous ride. Dangerous only to me, probably, since everyone around was bubbling. Anyway we were instructed to put on raincoats and rubber hats. The courageous Maid did not know the meaning of hesitation as she leasurely strut towards the thicket of a fat bowl of mist and a great cave of unknown that was the main waterfall.
Still, it was wonderful, every inch we went brought an entirely new world to the view, the great jade curtain seemed to change its color from moment to moment. The ruby green of grace started to fade, and darkness and chaos started to settle in then dominate the whole scene, until dark clouds were where our heads were. It did not take long for me to realize that the waterfall was actually the curtain of a long corridor which led to the depth of the universe.
Once we were in, the deafening noise tuned itself down, way down to almost inaudible, except that never-ending background Musak that evoked nothing but anger. Still deep we went, to the orange-colored neon-flashing area where molecules broke apart and atoms started to fuse, and new atoms and molecules were created at will by forces unknown. Under the foot of the waterfall which ranged 100 yards wide, our casual Maid of the Mist and her 200 passengers were reduced to a drop of water, trembling and floating under the guidance of a greater force.
From the foot of the waterfall, the heavens above were torn open, holy water came down with vengeance, whipping our heads and toes with zero mercy. The mist afar were actually water drops of enormous sizes. It was intense. I forgot that I had friends standing next to me. Heavenly troops charged down with heavy swords and machetes; their battle cry was even more deadly; and then those dark clouds...the entire universe was rendered into water, nothing but water. And water can cry, weeping with shrieking voice that knows no restriction. So, now tell me: What does love mean? Hate? Missing you or remembering me? A person is only a tiny molecule in the universe, heart is no larger than an atom, floating along a huge, huge pulse. Birth and death are divided only by a vulnerable pulse.
O your everlasting universe, you shouldn't have blessed your molecules and atoms with so much emotion and intelligence. You really shouldn't, damn it.
For a second, I was inspired by a dark force to jump off the ship, to go back to the universe that was generous enough to give birth to me but mean enough to take it away from me some day. Why not now?
It is said that Niagara Falls is the chosen destiny for many newly-weds to spend their honeymoon. Could it be that the rushing waterfall which posseses the magic to inspire primitive force that is called love? If so, why don't I spend my honeymoon with the love in my heart here, under the foot of the gigantic waterfall, since I am here already?