At 10:20 AM on 8/21/2017 the world began to darken,
and darken,
and darken,
until it was near total darkness for 2 minutes and 23 seconds.
Strange things began to happen:
This bird ceased flying and settled herself into roosting posture.
The temperature dropped an estimated 20 degrees--chilly.
Cricket sounds suddenly filled the air.
Stars came out--Venus was especially bright.
Then slowly dawn appeared on the eastern horizon.
RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: YES, SWEET PEOPLE, IT WAS WORTH THE 700 MILE DRIVE.
AND NO, IT DIDN'T MAKE ME BEGIN TO BELIEVE IN GOD!
My feelings were of AWE and WONDER I marvel that SCIENCE can so accurately predict its exact path and time. SCIENCE took the terror out of this and other phenomenon and now we are free to enjoy.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFor once I would love to hear you admit that TERROR was part of the fun. Barring that, watching the eclipse collapses down to trivial visual entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI envy the people of long ago who got a powerful and intense experience out of an eclipse. What about your sermons about "meaning." It had plenty of meaning to them. Today the whole subject is boring: something that gets explained in grade school science class.
Wasn't able to see this, twas hoping one of my favorite travel bloggers would witness it, post pixs and story! Thank you Randy :)
ReplyDeleteThe same thing happened here in Clemson in my own front yard...Several friends were here since the hill we live on a hill and have a very nice view..I had seen another eclipse in March, 1971..I was in Washington, DC, out shopping..Many of the people on the streets were
ReplyDeleteterrified..The eclipse had not had much advance notice, and many of them thought that it was the end of the world..I was able
to assure some of them that it was a natural phenomena, but there was a lot of screaming and panic...
I should have proofread...."the hill we live on has a very nice view." (-:
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a total eclipse where I viewed it, but it was close enough and a profound experience. I thought it so interesting to have all the fly aways hairs on my head showing in the crisper than usual shadows and much, much more. I was with my brother and said to him, "I'm sure glad we don't have to sacrifice some family virgins in some kind of frenzied hurry and wreck the whole day."
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying your blog on a cold winter's night and bought your book 'o poems on Amazon last week. I'll let you know which one is my favorite and why, in case you give a hoot. I'm not allowing myself to binge on them, but I didn't restrict myself from the blog. N.C