How I Know The Real Excitement About The Solar Eclipse Has Nothing To Do With Science
I finally get all this historic solar eclipse stuff.
Not the science part.
I’ve understood that for some time.
At 1:16 pm EDT on Monday, the moon will butt its way between the sun and Earth.
It’s going to make things really dark in the middle of the day across America.
Such excitement!
The plans and celebration!
People are traveling thousands of miles hoping to see a total eclipse.
I get it.
Though, I don’t believe all this enthusiasm is about science, at all.
Maybe if you’re an astrophysicist astronomer geek with a 40-foot telescope in your backyard.
Yeah, maybe for you, this is about the science.
For the rest of us.
For the vulnerable, scared, hurt rest of us it’s about the darkness.
Darkness you can plan on.
Heaven knows there’s plenty of uncontrolled darkness that creeps or pounces into your life without warning.
The divorce.
The job loss.
Your kid who is sick.
We have no control.
It’s not like you will control the sun and moon doing their thing on Monday.
That’s happening whether you want it to or not.
But, at least you’ll have notice.
You know exactly when it’s going to happen.
How long it is going to last.
Even better, it’s not coming back this way until 2024.
How more manageable would your life’s darkness be if you knew, this was it?
Less than three minutes.
And you’re done.
No more bad stuff for seven more years!
I understand we need darkness.
It gives us the contrast to appreciate the light.
The good times.
The happy.
Without dark, we are spoiled children who don’t know how good we have it.
But my goodness, life’s cruel darkness can come on without warning.
And last.
Boy, can it last.
Have you been there, Dear Reader?
Crying out to God or whomever might be listening, “How much longer? When will this be over?”
Monday, you know.
Two minutes and forty seconds.
This I can do.
This you can do.
As for the non-eclipse darkness that is shading your life right now, Dear Reader.
I would love to tell you it will all be over in two minutes and 40 seconds.
That during that dark time, sparkly stars and planets will distract you with their brilliance.
I can’t do that.
You knew that.
But I can tell you, I understand.
I get it.
Whatever is the dark shadow over your life right now is hard.
And lasting too long.
I’m hoping Monday’s eclipse can bring you a distraction.
And maybe,
Just maybe,
A few minutes of hope.
That even though we don’t know when, the darkness will pass.
Light wins.
Light always ultimately wins.
I don’t know if I get to wish upon a solar eclipse.
I’ll be doing it anyway.
For you.
May the light that emerges from your dark moon be so bright, that you’ll need those special eclipse glasses to watch it splash goodness across your life.
That’s what I hope you get.
((Please catch my column each week in The Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Dayton Daily News and other Cox Newspapers across the country.)))
And if you enjoy this column, you might enjoy my book,
