If something can be fully explained by reference to the natural world, can it still be considered miraculous? A total eclipse of the sun occurred earlier this week. In the days leading up to the event, there was a lot of chatter and coverage. Yet, despite a certain level of anticipation, schools remained open, as did most offices, business, and jobs. Team meetings were held. Games were played.
I too was in the totality. It was a little more awesome than I thought it would be. Not awesome in the sense of “that was an awesome cheeseburger,” but awesome in the sense of catching a brief glimpse of our place in the cosmos. For two-and-half minutes, I was fully aware that I was on a small planet with a smaller satellite, orbiting an obscure star at an oblique angle to the center of a backwater galaxy, nearly 14 billion years after the Big Bang. Also, it was beautiful. Millions of stars, caught unawares, quickly shaving and putting on a brief cameo; birds, and even a couple of bats, taking off (and sounding off) in mass confusion; roosters crowing; the temperature suddenly dropping and sending the less hearty to scramble for a sweater. Also, my sister-in-law Michelle made some great chili, and my brother-in-law Tom kept passing around some good Vermont cheeses on slices of seeded baguette.
> It turns out it was grossly, almost criminally, undersold.
AMEN!
Even many of the descriptions along the lines of, "It was a moment of awe as I considered my place in a vast universe, etc." undersell the absolute wonder of the moment.
For me, the absolutely black and white body in the center of a dark night sky and almost broke my brain. It was akin to everything I understood or have experience about the world being thrown out the window.
I drove from California to AR to see this, my first eclipse, and it was 100% worth it.
Also, I love your photo, b/c unlike most photos that zoom in on the eclipse and the white corona, it shows the entire context. Although it was exactly where I expected it to be, I was completely shocked that the dramatic appearance was just right there in the middle of the sky.
I too was in the totality. It was a little more awesome than I thought it would be. Not awesome in the sense of “that was an awesome cheeseburger,” but awesome in the sense of catching a brief glimpse of our place in the cosmos. For two-and-half minutes, I was fully aware that I was on a small planet with a smaller satellite, orbiting an obscure star at an oblique angle to the center of a backwater galaxy, nearly 14 billion years after the Big Bang. Also, it was beautiful. Millions of stars, caught unawares, quickly shaving and putting on a brief cameo; birds, and even a couple of bats, taking off (and sounding off) in mass confusion; roosters crowing; the temperature suddenly dropping and sending the less hearty to scramble for a sweater. Also, my sister-in-law Michelle made some great chili, and my brother-in-law Tom kept passing around some good Vermont cheeses on slices of seeded baguette.
> It turns out it was grossly, almost criminally, undersold.
AMEN!
Even many of the descriptions along the lines of, "It was a moment of awe as I considered my place in a vast universe, etc." undersell the absolute wonder of the moment.
For me, the absolutely black and white body in the center of a dark night sky and almost broke my brain. It was akin to everything I understood or have experience about the world being thrown out the window.
I drove from California to AR to see this, my first eclipse, and it was 100% worth it.
Also, I love your photo, b/c unlike most photos that zoom in on the eclipse and the white corona, it shows the entire context. Although it was exactly where I expected it to be, I was completely shocked that the dramatic appearance was just right there in the middle of the sky.