I remember a visit to the Pondicherry beach with Anna’s classmates, who gathered for their alumni get-together. It was a cloudy and misty morning and the occasion was the thanksgiving service of their batch.
Among some memories of that morning, one particular experience resurfaced in my thought this morning. The sight of the rising son and the going down of the moon. It was the twilight of that morning that speaks to me now.
The in between times are surprising and engaging.
What was surprising was that the moon light in the morning was bright enough to lead us about a kilometre from the hotel to the beach. It was still bright with the moon light at the beach for us to view the sea and the arrival of the boats to the shore with their catch of fish. As soon as the hallow of the rising sun appeared in the east with its increasing brightness with every passing second, the sight of the moon became dim and faint to the watching eyes. It was a conspicuous contrast. The moon whose light led us the way till the beach, now faded into the background and a brighter sunlight took over to lead us further. The greater light of the son provided us better visibility and clarity. All of these happened in the twilight- the in between time, the dawn.
We live with the consciousness of who we are, in the light of our past experiences. We have been used to a level of consciousness and interpreting our circumstances with that level of understanding. But during the transition times in our lives, a heightened consciousness dawns on us, when our optic of sight, insight and foresight become brighter and clearer.
The disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, Thomas, made a confession of his new sight, insight and foresight to Jesus, when he said, ‘My Lord and My God’(John.20:28). Thomas was unbelieving of the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus appeared to him and to the other disciples while they were in a closed room(V.26) announcing peace and a personal invitation to Thomas to feel the healed marks of the crucifixion on his body. It is to this revealing gesture of Jesus, Thomas responded with a heightened consciousness of who he was and who Jesus was.
These twilight moments are given moments for our benefit! They are transforming movements. The moon provided the light till then and a greater light, the sun took over from then onwards!
Stay open to such occasions of inner awakening and a new consciousness (metanoia)! Life takes a new plane of existence and meaning from then on! Our understanding is enlarged and deepened in such occasions that we come to face to face with a new perception of realities and perspectives.
I have been through a new level of consciousness of myself during my recovery period after surgery. It is a twilight period in my life between my illness and the way ahead! I am glad for this experience! Such occasions are precious, sacred and worth waiting for!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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