When I was casually chatting with a hostess in a restaurant in Fishers, recently, she asked me: “Are you afraid of the upcoming eclipse?”
“What? NO. Why would I be afraid?”
“There’s a lot of stuff about it”……she cryptically replied.
So, I did some reading and research, and sure enough…..there’s a lot of stuff about it circulating out there.
Let’s start with the basics: we are getting ready to experience a total solar eclipse. Our area lies in what is called the path of totality — meaning that we will see…..a movement of the moon crossing between the earth and the sun which will completely block out the sun for a brief period of time.
As you know, millions of people are expected to travel to see the spectacle, which will also attract scientists across the country to study its unique effects. Eclipses have inspired fear and awe among civilizations throughout history, from the Aztecs to the ancient Hindus. They’re also associated with some major religious events, including the darkness that accompanied the crucifixion of Jesus, and the passing of the Prophet Muhammad’s son.
Celestial darkness is mentioned in sections of the Bible describing the crucifixion, in the book of Joshua, which recounts a day that the sun stood still, and in the Old Testament. The prophet Isaiah wrote:
“The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.” — Isaiah 13:10
Many cultures believe that the sun brings life and good fortune, so when the solar eclipse occurs, it is viewed as great black squirrels in the sky are devouring the sun. So, in response, we should all make noise in an effort to frighten the squirrels away.
Some perspectives on the eclipses believe that celestial happenings are a warning of God’s wrath. Other groups believe that it means it’s time to “get right with God and the people in our lives, so that we have no regrets.”
Oberon Zell, writer and religious leader in North Carolina states, “The eclipse is a wakeup call to people to treat each other and the planet better.” — Oberon Zell
Many people believe that this solar eclipse should encourage us to take time to reflect and pray about our lives.
So — my friends, you have many options on how to view this celestial happening tomorrow.
Allow me to give you one more thought about it.
Multiple times when I am up here talking, I remind us to place ourselves in situations in which we experience something greater than ourselves. Looking at the sky tomorrow will be another opportunity to do that. And what better way to do that than to realize we are part of a tribe of people who are all doing the exact same thing?
If you were alive….you can tell me exactly where you were when President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed. You can tell us where you were when the shuttle exploded, when the Oklahoma City building was bombed, when the twin towers fell to the earth, and when President Trump told us all we had to stay home. Those are what we call shared experiences.
More to the point, they are shared tragedies. Shared tragedies remind us that we are among others. We are part of a tribe of people that spans the globe.
We don’t have a lot of shared experiences that aren’t tragedies. Shared experiences without the tragedy and the resulting trauma actually multiplies our happiness. Let’s face it — the older we get, the fewer happy shared experiences we have. Kids have a lot more happy shared experiences.
Shared experiences help us to develop longer lasting happiness. Eating a meal, or shopping with friends allows us to attach deeper meaning to the experience. Shared experiences allow us to create and deepen our relationships. Numerous studies have shown the clear link between meaningful relationships, positive shared experiences, social connectedness, happiness and long life. The quality of our relationships is far more important than the number of our friends.
Shared experiences offer us untold psychological benefits. We feel our own emotions, develop our ability for emotional empathy and we grow to understand each other better. These connections then give our own lives a sense of meaning and community.
We don’t have a lot of shared experiences that aren’t tragedies……but we will tomorrow.
Tomorrow we will all put on our glasses and look up. We will look at the very same sun across our nation. We will see the same moon and stars and planets. We will all be looking in the same direction. We will see the same things, and unite as one nation under that sun.
During the eclipse in 2017, scientists at the University of California at Irvine analyzed millions of messages sent on Twitter. They found that people within the path of totality were more likely to use not only language that expressed awe, but also language that conveyed being unified and affiliated with others. These findings revealed the psychological impact of the 2017 solar eclipse this way:
“Just as the moon aligned with the sun up in the heavens, people down on earth aligned with each other in awe of this spectacular celestial event.” — David Baron NPR science correspondent
Eclipses remind us that we are part of something bigger, that we are connected with something vast. In the hours before and after totality we have to wear protective glasses to look at the sun, to prevent damage to our eyes. But during the brief time when the moon blocks the last of the sun’s rays, we can lower our glasses and look directly at the eclipse. Scientist Sean Goldy tells us:
“It’s like making eye contact with the universe.” — Sean Goldy
It won’t matter how we pray, what we believe, who we love, or how we vote. We will all be experiencing the same celestial happening. We will be bound together by common ground. Whether we are part of a large gathering at a park, or in a cul-de-sac, or in our own yard, we will be part of something much bigger than ourselves. We are likely to be moved emotionally, and surprised to find beauty in a sky that we take for granted. Tomorrow, we won’t be isolated. We won’t be alone. We will be connected to each other. For a brief period of time, we will all be looking in the same direction. Amen.
Gina Greenlee has written: “When we establish human connections within the context of shared experience, we create community wherever we go.” — Gina Greenlee
I invite each of us to join the shared experience tomorrow. Who knows what that connection might bring us?
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