I watched the moon yesterday, early in the morning, when it was stationed opposite our cottage during its journey! I remembered seeing similar stations of Moon during its journey different occasions during the year. It has two directions, one towards becoming the full moon or towards not being visible at all. Which ever way the Moon moves during its course, one thing that held my attention was its cycle that has a course and pattern.
As I stood watching this terrestrial phenomenon, my thoughts went back to the words of the the Psalmist who said, 'I will give thanks to thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..' (Isa.139:14). It is a statement of wonder, confession and mystery!
The human story of transitions between different seasons in our lives come up for more exploration as I face the movement from the year 2021 to 2022.
This movement has two dimensions- expression and extinction. The expression of oneself in the theatre of human existence would take different forms and shapes during the year 2022. I would be different from what I have been in 2021 as experiences during one year got added to the repository of years of experience of the past and thereby making me and my being even more rounded or wholesome.
The movement is also towards extinction. I am closer to the closure of my life as the transition into 2022 takes place. This creates abundance of joy and contentment for the life that was given and the way I was privileged to explore to arrive where I am.
The Moon along its journey sheds its light and moves relationally to the sun and earth. It is a confluent and relational journey and is purposeful.
That thought leaves me inspired. My single life and married life with Anna, form the core of that being. The wider dimensions of life include relational realities with our children and their families, work place relationships, neighbourhood, friends and companions scattered globally and memories of people whose presence in my life at different seasons made life richer and brighter. The family life that Anna and I shared and continue to do so rest in this canvas of wide net work of people who have remained in our orbit. Our movements will leave some light in the lives of others.
Moon moves cyclically and purposefully. So it is for each person. Whether it is an ascending journey to the fullness of expression or descending journey towards extinction, this happens in the setting of people who form the scenario in which we live and move.
During this transition into 2022, what stays dominant in my mind is the light that shall shine on the path along the way! The Moon became the symbol of that light that shall lead us on!
The fear of darkness is overcome by the light that shall fill the darkness. The Light that filled the earth which was void in the creation story, is the light that shall shine within. That light shall become the path finder.
I remember a sight during my childhood of how my parents used to give a lighted bunch of dry coconut palm leaves to visitors who came home and returned when it was dark. That bunch of burning coconut leaves was good enough to show the way till they reached back their home.
The Moon, the lighted coconut palm bunch and the burning candle on the table while I write this are symbols of Jesus of Nazareth, who said, 'I am the Light of the world'!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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