It was August the year before last. I was so tired of the city, of the bustle, of the people, of the whirlpool of meaningless and merciless entertainment that I just lay on the bed and couldn’t bring myself to get up.

And then somehow it happened that I found myself at a bus stop in a city unfamiliar to me. I was met by Larisa, then still a distant friend of mine, all so beautiful, joyful, smiling, bright, and she took me to visit her in the village.

And so we sit at night and drink Ivan tea with honey. And suddenly she enthusiastically grabs my hand and, with burning eyes, drags me out into the street. I obediently followed her into the embracing darkness of the night.

⁃ Raise your head.

I raised my head and was stunned. I saw such a beautiful sky that I had not seen for 10-12 years. It was dotted with millions of bright stars. A natural colander with a beautiful cool white light shining from the holes.

I have never seen such beauty even in the most beautiful city in the world, on the river. I loved the lights of the endless windows of the houses of the big city. But they cannot compete with the stars.

And then I realized that I no longer wanted to see the warm light from the windows. That I don’t need the magnificent horses of the Anichkov Bridge. That I am ready to give up any architectural masterpiece just to see this sky every day.

So I realized that I would remain living in this nature, in this village, all my life!

Thank you for your attention, Yana.