Afterwards

Tuesday, August 24, 2021 —(On September 20, a fav full moon, “Harvest”, will rise nearest to earth.)

Even after Sunday’s Sturgeon Moon rose at its fullest, on Monday night it remained totally visible and striking. When an upward glance through an appropriate window caught the moon, I stared and felt joyous. Early today, that heavenly floater remained lovely.

Always, like many humans, I feel full moons as special events. Over the years, I’ve blogged about some, and most often, September’s “Harvest Moon”. What makes that moon seem special is that it occurs just as our daylights darken, with earlier evenings making a full moon particularly eye-catching. It’s not a super moon, but maybe psychological wishes make it seem very near. Anyway, September’s attractive light soon will appear and be glorious.

I’ve a growing appreciation of moons in all their phases. Earlier, my appreciation was for them as sudden, beautiful night lights. Now helped by my friend and fellow moon-chaser, Susie, I’ve a changing view. She might have a deep sense of moons somehow being alive up in the sky. We’ve chased several full moon rises, and my innate sense has begun toying with the moon as a living element.

If it seems silly, that’s okay. Similar thoughts are affirmed by many past and current, best and brightest, writers. Humans historically have toyed with ideas about the moon as a living element that offers either, or both, comfort and discomfort. The epitome perhaps is Shakespeare, who perceived the moon as essential and warming, sometimes hopeful and/or devastating, and always as a globe alive.

Anyway on Sunday night, and standing beside a body of water in pitch darkness except for moon reflections, our team did manage somehow to capture a selfie. Such as it is, here we are, Dale, Susie, and me.