Observance

A few days ago, people across the country put their lives on hold for a few minutes, gathered with friends and strangers, and gazed into the heavens to see something that happens here only every few decades — a total solar eclipse. The moon passed between the earth and the sun in the North American sky. From the perspective of some observers, the sun was completely eclipsed, and day turned to night for a brief, stunning moment. 

What was it that made the eclipse such a powerful experience for those who witnessed it? For some, it served as a reminder of how truly beautiful the heavens are. Sun up, sun down, day in, and day out — we don’t even think about it, but the universe functions like clockwork. Perhaps it takes something like an eclipse for us to even notice these remarkable, heavenly spheres. But the sun and the moon, the earth and the stars continue to shine and rotate and move throughout space. This truly is an astonishing universe. 

Insight

But then, at least part of the significance of this event came not from what we saw in the sky but what we saw around us.Something wonderful happens when we gather to experience something sublime and transcendent together. Our sights and our thoughts are lifted beyond the here and now, beyond the barriers that divide us. We all “looked up” -- not only was the light of the sun blocked, but for a brief moment so were our differences. We all looked up. We were reminded that we all live and breathe on the same magnificent planet, with plenty of common experiences that bind us together. 

Just as we don’t appreciate the sun until it’s gone for a moment, we sometimes don’t really appreciate our loved ones, our health and our blessings, our neighbors and communities, until something changes. The recent eclipse gave us an opportunity to reflect on this beautiful universe, the people in it, and our shared humanity. But let’s not wait another several decades for the next opportunity. We can look up to heaven and look around to each other a little more and glory in our wonderful world and the people in it. Amazing things can happen in the heavens and in our hearts if we look for them. 

Life today is noisy and chaotic. Many of us navigate busy traffic, take phone calls, make appointments, run errands and manage homes — all against the backdrop of a changing, rattling world. Sometimes it seems we are almost skidding down a hillside, grasping at twigs to slow us down.

Many of us look for a safe mooring in the wrong places. We invest our loyalty in material wealth, which can vanish overnight, or in the acclaim of the world, which is always fleeting. Some follow false leaders whose charisma hides their empty promises. Others try to break free of pressure by pursuing luxury and leisure, but stress is always waiting for them when they get back.

Where can we turn to steady ourselves, to “stay our minds,” as the poet Robert Frost said? In his poem “Choose Something like a Star,” Frost writes of looking to the heavens to fix our gaze upon something immovable, something to help us align our compass and set our course. If we choose something like a star, such as the God of heaven, we can feel constancy and peace. No matter the tumult around us, we can look up at the grandeur of the heavens, fix our gaze upon eternity, and let the uncertainty of life around us fall away. Quietly we can anchor our souls to everlasting things: truth, virtue, integrity, loyalty.

When life is darkest, when disasters mount, these are the times when God’s shining light gleams brightest. Just as the darkness brings out the light of the stars, so do troubled times reveal the strength and potential within the human soul. Only when we are tethered to eternal truth do we know that, despite a swirling world around us, we are calm and safe, our compass is true and our chosen star is an unfailing guide. 

For a moment, as we looked up seeking the darkness of the sun by the moon, we were all united. Maybe it would be wise for us to look up again seeking the brightness of hope and all of us become united with His Son.

Southern Standard contributor Cordell Crawford can be contacted at crawfordcordell@yahoo.com