Orange Moon
by Jerry Haha
March 29, 2026
As I drive through the highway, I navigate by looking three cars ahead of me. At about eleven o’clock, I catch a glimpse of a warm, circular light. For a moment, it looks like an orange moon.
The chances of the Bank of China logo actually being the moon are slim, but not impossible. I’m stuck in this tin can, and there’s absolutely nothing I can do. Years have passed, and I still haven’t cracked the code for the system. I always thought the moon could be as bright and gigantic. Even though I know the exact diameter of the moon, when it appears in front of you, it’s still shocking.
I once dreamt about getting invited to all of the functions there are — VIP viewings and exclusive entrances. The idea of being the first one to see and attend offered a sense of status and essentially reflects a hierarchical system.
As I grew older, this idea started to fade. I’ve become reduced to most things. It became fine to miss out, not take credit, and be on your own. Sometimes, still, when intrusive thoughts take over, you have no control over them at all. I’m not so different after all.
The more times the earth turns, the less ambitious I become. It’s a humbling experience when things don’t necessarily go your way. Even though you put so much care and love into it, when the outcome isn’t what you expected, it still hurts a little.
As human beings, we always strive for greatness—motives, impact, proof that we matter. Often, in order to achieve, it takes years, if not decades, of dedication and passion to pour into something that’s never guaranteed. Today, we’ve polluted our attention spans with what we’ve built. The idea of spending years sharpening your craft feels beyond reach. Uncertainty drives anxieties. The more control we want, the less freedom we possess.
The magic is in the changes within. Once your vision aligns, you realize it is indeed the the Orange Moon but the logo of Bank of China — it doesn’t matter anymore, because you’ve already driven past it.