The Crescent That Connects Across Time 🌙

Over the course of a lifetime, from the innocence of childhood to the seasoned calm of the seventies, faces change, memories fade, and old acquaintances often drift into the fog of time. It’s natural. Most people, after long gaps, struggle to recognise familiar faces from the past. Names slip away, relationships grow distant, and time does its quiet work.

Yet, I have experienced something rather curious, something I’ve come to see as a quiet marvel. Despite the years gone by, people from different stages of my life often recognise me, not just by face, but by name and connection. This article is a reflection on that wonder, and perhaps the reason behind it, a reason etched, quite literally, onto my forehead.

I carry a prominent crescent-shaped birthmark (5 cm long) on my forehead, curved like a sliver of moonlight in a clear night sky. It has been with me since birth, an ever-present symbol, a quiet but visible part of who I am. Unlike marks that remain hidden, facial birthmarks are part of the immediate impression we give the world. They become intertwined with how we are remembered. And in my case, this distinct crescent has followed me through time as an ageless identifier.

Over the years, this mark has become more than a quirk of nature. It has become a companion, one that sparks curiosity, invites conversation, and connects me to stories far older than my own. People often stop and ask about it, especially when meeting me for the first time. Their interest opens the door to discussions on identity, belief, and the strange, beautiful ways in which the universe touches each of us.

While I don’t believe it holds any magical powers, I do find meaning in the symbolism it carries. In many cultures, and particularly in ancient Hindu lore, birthmarks are considered more than skin-deep. They are seen as divine imprints, fingerprints of fate. And when such a mark takes the shape of a crescent moon, it becomes something more: a talisman, a cosmic emblem.

In Hindu mythology, the crescent moon rests in the matted locks of Lord Shiva himself. It symbolises the cycle of time, the rhythm of creation, and the calming, eternal presence of the Mahadeva. I still remember how elders, upon noticing my birthmark, would pause thoughtfully and say with reverence, “That’s the mark of Shiva’s gaze. He’s watching over you.”

Whether that’s true or not, I hold the sentiment close. It brings comfort, a sense of connection to something vast and timeless. Perhaps it is this mark, this symbol of memory and divinity, that helps people remember me even after decades have passed.

So, here I am in my seventies, still greeted with familiarity, still called by name, and still carrying the crescent moon on my brow, my lifelong companion and silent storyteller.

🙏 Thank you, Lord Shiva, for your watchful gaze and for continuing to bless my family and me.