It was the evening of Sunday, March 27. Tommy Tomorrow was holding on to the railing of Grandpa Joe’s backyard deck and looking up at the sky.

Grandpa Joe pointed to the waning gibbous moon and asked, “Do you see the man in the moon?”

“Yes, I see him,” Tommy answered, nodding. “He has a great smile.” Tommy turned and gave his grandpa a big smile.

“That’s true. He’s a jolly fellow,” Grandpa Joe said as he looked back at the moon. “So, did he give you a special message during the full moon lunar eclipse?”

“I think so,” Tommy said, bringing a thoughtful finger to his chin.

“Well, what was it this time?”

“It’s written all over his face,” Tommy said, pointing up at the man in the moon. “He said, ‘Don’t worry. Be happy.’ “

“Is that so?” Grandpa Joe said, straightening the brim of his hat.

“Yup,” Tommy said, looking back at the moon. “He wants me to take it easy because with a little thought and effort, I can achieve whatever I put my mind to.”

“The moon is a happy guy, isn’t he?” Grandpa Joe said, motioning toward the moon with his hand.

“Yes. The happiest! Especially when he’s almost full, you can see him smile so big,” Tommy said.

“I’m glad you can see the man in the moon… You know, some people can’t, no matter how hard they try.”

“It’s so obvious to me!” Tommy said surprised. “It’s the first thing I see.”

“Perhaps you’re looking more with your heart than your eyes.”

“Nah! My heart has no eyes! I see it with my real eyes. There are two eyes and a jolly smile right there,” Tommy said, tracing the moon’s face with his finger.

“Well, you don’t have to convince me. I see it, too.”

“Oh, good. Maybe the others just can’t connect the dots—or craters—like me and you.”

“I guess not. Some see a rabbit.”

“A rabbit!? That makes no sense!”

“Some see a lady.”

“No… It looks like a man’s face. You’re ruining it for me, Grandpa,” Tommy said, giving him an exasperated look.

“No two people look at the same object the same way,” Grandpa Joe said, nodding at the moon.

“That sounds kind of sad, Grandpa,” Tommy said, trying to see the rabbit and the lady, but he soon gave up.

“We may see almost the same things, but never exactly the same.”

“So sad, Grandpa. To not see the jolly man in the moon? So obvious to me and some people just can’t see it?!”

“Nope. Some can’t. Try as they might.”

“How can we help them?” Tommy said, passing his gaze between his grandpa and the moon.

“Well, you can tell people what you see, draw it out, write about him. Help them see through your eyes better.”

“Yeah, that’s a pretty good idea. Maybe I’ll work on that tomorrow.”

A silence fell between Grandpa Joe and Tommy as they took in the clear night sky, the stars, and the moon.

“I think you perfectly interpreted the special message from the moon. As your astrologer, I’m afraid I have nothing to add this time, except for giving you an A+. …Don’t worry, be happy. Take it easy and just keep doing your best… Yeah, that’s the ticket.”

“The ticket to where?”

“The ticket to the moon’s heart. Its message to you, straight from that jolly guy’s heart.”

“Does the moon really have a heart, Grandpa? I don’t think so.”

“It does if you want it to.”

“I’ll have to think more about that tomorrow.”

“Use your imagination, Tommy.”

“I can imagine almost anything. But some things are obvious. Like that old man in the moon’s happy face. He always makes me smile.”

“Me, too, Tommy. Me, too.”

Tommy and Grandpa Joe spent a few more minutes outside in the cold brisk night air. Then his parents called them both back inside. It was getting late, 9 p.m. Tommy had to go back home. He had school the next day.