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Year Three, Day 101: Solar Eclipse 2017 - Attempting to Grasp the Infinite


Well, we survived Solar Eclipse 2017!

I went out this morning, as usual for my daily hoop session. I wore a bright dress, that I thought would be appropriate for this day. 

But it was a bit awkward hooping in a dress. I think I'll stick with t-shirt and leggings or shorts from now on.

To make matters worse, I am having trouble uploading the video to YouTube. So if it doesn't publish, you will have to take my word for it.

I did indeed hoop today!

After I finished my session, my roommate invited me up to her deck to watch the eclipse. She said it looked like someone had taken a bite out of the sun.  It was only a little after 9:00 a.m. And I had planned on walking up to the gas station to get my coffee first.  I felt a little apprehensive about staring directly at the sun. Even with my eclipse glasses. After all, the fine print did say "limited to 3 minutes continuous use..."

So I told her I would join her after I got my coffee. I headed out and ran into our sign volunteer. (I call him the "Sign Ninja".)  I told him to join us on the deck. I hollered over my shoulder that I was off to get coffee.

"Get me one", he hollered back.

I had a lovely eclipse walk.

I think our local news should advertise traffic jams every evening. Because our local people stayed home this weekend.  The roads were practically vacant! I rode the Max last night out to Parkrose to visit my son and scope out the transit situation for traveling to Vancouver to visit my granddaughter when she arrives. I was pleased to find the C-Tran stop at the Parkrose Max station. It departs at least every half hour, even on the weekends!

I think my commute will be totally doable!!

Last night was lovely. Quiet. Very little traffic.  It reminded me of Portland back in the day before all the traffic congestion.

My walk this morning was pleasant too. There were few cars. But a lot of people out walking. And people sitting in lawn chairs with eclipse glasses on. Staring at the sun. It was an odd sight! 

And the birds!  The birds were everywhere, chirping like mad! And dogs howling...

As I approached my corner gas station, I noticed a couple lying on the grass with their backpacks beside them, a shopping cart of their belongings off to the side. They were laughing.  They had on the eclipse glasses, arms around each other. Staring at the sky. It was actually a beautiful sight.

All these people looking upward.

I wonder if it made the angels in heaven smile to see us looking up?

I will always remember this day!

 am so glad I got that coffee. The bitter, hot brew woke me up instantly. And I was able to catch the bus back home and make it to my viewing spot on the deck with my pastor roommate, her stepson and the Sign Ninja.

I was nervous as I put on my glasses.

My eyes are very weak. Normal vision is 20/20. Mine at last exam were 20/400.  

But my roommate assured me I need to view this once in a lifetime spectacle. So I took a deep breath, put on my glasses, and stared up at the sun. It was just a sliver as the moon passed in front.  We didn't get to a total eclipse, but as the moon overshadowed the sun, the temperature dropped noticeably.

Birds chirped. Squire the dog howling from inside the house.  He was confined to the indoors, because his mom was worried about him looking at the sun. 

And suddenly...dusk! It was quite eerie and awesome at the same time.

But before I could blink twice, it was over.  

I walked over to my office job. I felt a little wobbly.  And a little melancholy. We humans are really so small compared to the universe. Just a speck of dust.  

I thought of the story "Horton Hears a Who" by Dr. Seuss.  We are just a speck of dust on a dandelion seed.  I saw my favorite female bus driver today on the way to teach piano students. We shared feelings of  being like insects compared to the whole universe. She liked my Horton Hears a Who analogy.

And she shared that when she was young, she would try to contemplate the universe and she would get scared. Like her brain couldn't expand enough to totally comprehend. I nodded in agreement. I have had the same experience when attempting to grasp infinity.

Odd, that this eclipse brought out this type of philosophical talk. But refreshing to be elevated above our normal mundane, materialistic lives.To talk about possibilities. To question our reality.

And attempt to grasp the infinite.

Whenever I take myself too seriously, I need to remember this feeling. Of smallness. And humblesness.  And remember this day.   The encounters, images, and feelings permanently etched in my small being.

On this day, Solar Eclipse 2017. 

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