John flops into a seat on the North Jersey Coast line, shows his ticket and prepares to go into what he thinks of as turtle mode. His big, quiilted winter coat includes an over-sized hood designed to go over an army helmet. So putting it on covers his head and face. Could he be more anti-social?
At around 2am, John gets out of the warmth of his bed, dresses warmly and heads down to Barnegat Bay to watch the eclipse of the moon. He sits on a park bench at the water's edge. The full moon makes the crests of tiny waves- far out on the bay- bright white. Far away from the moon, stars are out. But in a vast area of the sky, it's all about a black sky made bright by the white-gray moon.
Soon, the earth begins to cast a shadow across the moon. Wisdom along with stars come into view as the lunar eclipse progresses. The earth and the moon fades from sight without the moon glow. The outline of the trees on the opposite shore and the waves on the bay can no longer be seen. But once the moon and earth disappear, the heavens sparkle in an infinate array of patterns. The stars convey a hopefulness against a black void of the disbelieving sky.
A full moon over the bay is a beautiful sight. A star lit sky over the bay is beautiful. As the eclipse ends it occurs to John how you can't have both...you can't have it all...at the same time. And maybe you have to leave earth behind to find heavenly peace. Maybe we all need to escape earthly matters sometimes.
He walks back to the house, goes upstairs and climbs under the covers of his brass-bowed bed with the thick white down quilt.
Peace on earth by leaving earthly things behind
...good will to everyone by getting away from people. ;p
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