Nature Journal #7: Moon Shadows

 Nature Journal #7: October 14th, 2023

I believe, to many individuals, what we don't see or experience often, is something we appreciate more. While this claim may seem vague, I do believe it applies in many areas of our lives. However, when specifically examining how people interact and appreciate nature, many dream of seeing the Northern Lights or visiting Niagara Falls. This is, at least in part, because it's one of a kind. It requires effort, a trip maybe, to witness these incredible beauties. Other aspects of nature such as the clouds, species of trees, or maybe even flowers can often be overlooked because they don't appear to be unique. Snow may be grumbled about in a state like Minnesota, whereas, the Florida resident dreams of snow-capped trees. 

To this point, the eclipse on October 14th of this year seemed to catch everyone's attention because of its' uniqueness and rarity. The day was full of blue skies and sunshine; when the moon passed in front, the world seemed almost eery. The ground was covered in shade, everything seemed to dim; however, there were no clouds and it was nearly midday. It seemed to be one of those moments that forced me to stop and reflect. While it was a TCU gameday and a busy schoolwork day as well, the shocking beauty of this eclipse piqued my interest enough to get me to stand outside and simply look in amazement for about 20 minutes. In a way, I tuned out my world and tuned into the natural environment. I looked at everything and anything in sight. 

For the first time ever, I saw moon shadows. Covering the sidewalk, moon shadow after moon shadow. They were constant and continuous. Little crescent shapes scattered They immediately caught my attention because they were different; you don't see that everyday or even infrequently. Something about eclipses cause me to take a step back. 

To me, these rare and unique events are direct reflections of God's creation and the complexity of His work. I often find my faith and my relationship with God to be strengthened after spending time in nature. This was definitely the case on this particular day. This reminded me of the complexity and power that God is capable of but also of my minuscule existence. To clarify, I do not mean this in any sort of degrading way. Rather, I mean that when I find myself worrying over school, work, or my personal life, it is helpful to remind myself that, in the grand scheme of things, each stressor of daily life is a speck in God's plan. Ultimately, this eclipse made me think and reflect on my personal life, and for that, I am grateful. 









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