The heavens are telling the glory of God. (Psalm 19:1a)
It was pretty amazing. The eclipse, that is. It was a beautiful day and Wendy and I sat outside and watched from the moment the moon took its first bite out of the sun, through totality, and until the sun had fully re-emerged.
If you saw it, you know words cannot do it justice. From the changing light as the sun slowly disappeared to the glimmering corona and 360-degree sunset during totality, it was a spectacular show. We were even fortunate enough to witness a prominence, that red dot at the bottom of totality. All in all, words fail, which is hard to say from someone who makes a living with words.
The most surprising moment for me was the sudden change from light to dark and back to light. It was amazing how the tiniest sliver of light from the sun peaking around the edge of the moon was still able to light the earth. But as soon as that sliver disappeared, BAM! Darkness.
In this season of Easter, I have been reflecting a lot on light and darkness. I have said the light of the risen Christ can overcome the darkness of despair and even death and we are called to spread that light.
The eclipse reminded me of how even the tiniest bit of light can dispel darkness. Think of the candles we light in the dark of Christmas Eve, and how those tiny lights shine bright enough to sing our “Silent Night.”
We don’t have to be the brightest light in the sky to make a difference in our world. We just need to let a sliver of light shine through us. Just a sliver of goodness, a sliver of kindness, a thin sliver of love for others can brighten our world.
I hope you enjoyed the eclipse as much as I did. I feel so fortunate to have experienced it. Now, may that memory inspire us to let our little light shine for all the world to see.
*Photo Credit: Doug M.