Blood Moon

Last Monday, Rosalie and I decided we’d stay up late enough to watch the lunar eclipse. It was scheduled to begin just after 11:00 p.m. So we pulled two lawn chairs out to our driveway and had a front row seat for the display. The night was still, with no one else out to share in the sight. The full moon made our street almost as light as day. And then it began with what looked like a dark bite something had taken out of the left side of the moon. The old man in the moon had lost a cheek. It took nearly an hour for the shadow to pass completely across the moon, and then we could see what the papers were calling a blood moon, an orange orb that looked like a golf ball. The red planet Mars perched just above and to the right of the moon and became much brighter and redder as the moon’s light faded. We sat, listening to appropriate songs on my iPad: “Paper Moon,” “Moonlight in Vermont,” “Blue Moon,” and Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.” It was a wonderful experience, one that we’d never before had and one that we’ll never have again. I’m so very glad we were able to share this experience. Life is too short not to take advantage of celestial wonders, too short to let such moments slip away. If you missed it, shame on you.