Clouds

According to dictionary.com a cloud is a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere and is suspended high above a planetary body. The planetary body being Earth, clouds are the things that resemble white curls of hair in the sky. These wonders of the world are very much like human beings. In a way clouds are born and they die. We have all, one time or another heard the statement ‘a child is born when a man loves a woman and a woman loves a man…’ during the tough explanation about ‘the birds and the bees’. Explaining the birth of clouds is much easier. A cloud is formed when rising air cools to a point where the water vapor molecules clump together. Each cloud has a purpose in life. Whether it is to collide with one another and grow or simply fall to the ground as rain, hail or snow. Just like the people of the world, every cloud is unique and no cloud is the same.

The need for humans to classify has almost taken the individuality of clouds away. Classification- does this activity sound familiar? The Jocks, The Socialites, Goths and Nerds. Clouds are also separated into what would be ‘social groups’.  Cirro, Strato, Cumulo and Nimbo are the cloud roots that recap the components of the classification system. For a teen in high school the system is based on what you wear; the music you listen to and your likes and dislikes. This is similar with clouds. They are grouped and then named according to how far they are from the ground; their texture; how big they are and what they look like.

The men and women that are considered socially unjust and referred to as criminals are locked up in jail cells for many days or even lifetimes. These people are kept from society because many fear they might murder, or steal or just do what they do- commit crimes. They might be compared to the black cumulonimbus clouds that bring loud and electric thunderstorms and perhaps, to the more superstitious, become symbols of bad luck. Then again, in our society, there are people that may be compared to noctilucent clouds. Clouds that are so high that they can reflect the sun’s light and are still visible in deep twilight. These people are the optimists. No matter how dark a situation might be they can rise to the occasion and make sure they remind people of the good things in the world. Every cloud has a silver lining. This means that every bad situation has good aspects to it. If the world could be filled with ‘noctilucent’ people, surely we would be on cloud 9.

For many, clouds are the shoulder you can lean on when people’s shoulders aren’t good enough. They don’t talk, they listen. They are artwork from the greatest artist of all. Clouds are like children. They are ever changing and growing. Clouds are free. They are free in two ways- we don’t need to pay to witness their beauty; they are unconfined and experience lasting freedom. Clouds are a great con man. They lie to us and make us. They make it seem as if they revolve around us alone, when in fact it’s the earth’s rotation making it look and feel as if this is so. Clouds are thieves. They take our water without permission. Furthermore, clouds are saints. After they have gathered liters of water, they return it and then some.

According to me, clouds are the white puffs in the sky that not only reflect the suns light but each person and thing the sun shines on. Like every person on Earth, each cloud is there for a reason. They reflect the classification in the world and every personality. The people that make you feel good and the people we fear and fear to trust. They are a place of complete bliss and dreams and at the same time, bad luck. In conclusion clouds aren’t like people, they are better. And people need to learn a thing or two from them.

Pearl Donzwa 9z