"As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; / [ . . . ] Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: / Deals out that being indoors each one dwells; / Selves -- goes itself; 'myself' it speaks and spells, / Crying 'What I do is me; for that I came'." --Gerard Manley Hopkins

01 March 2011

Crescent Moon

I've been feeling sad and out of sorts, irritable, with circumstances and physical pain weighing me down. I'm tired of it all; I just want to curl up under the covers and sleep the rest of my life away. But one can't, and so I got up early, as I usually must on Tuesdays, feeling sorry for myself, and prepared for my day.

Then I turned from the driveway into the street to be greeted by a crescent moon brilliant before me in the blue-black dawn, the morning star saluting her from above and to her right, the mountains below them barely tinged with delicate pink.

The vision repeated itself as I drove up the hill to work and then I found it again, framed in the bare branches of the tree rising above the student center.

How you feel is not important. Be like the moon: be where you are meant to be and let the sun pour out its light for you to catch his rays and reflect them where and how he directs.

Joy entered my day and I hope shone at least a crescent's worth of light into the world despite how I felt.

5 comments:

Millie said...

You know, I pray for you whenever I see the moon. I hope you are encouraged the rest of this week by knowing, and by feeling, the depth of God's love for you. You are loved.

Alissa said...

This post was such a beautiful encouragement, Dr. Impson. I printed it out and stuck it in my journal as a reminder that I don't have to shine, I just have to reflect. Thank you for sharing. Love and Prayers, Alissa.

Beth Impson said...

Millie, how precious! Thank you so much, sweet friend!

Alissa, thank you; I am grateful that you found encouragement in my little meditation.

Kamilla said...

Beth,

Thank you for this. I have been feeling much the same way. I often forget to look to the sky at night when I am feeling like this.

Our friend Orion is still in the night sky as well.

Kamilla

Beth Impson said...

Orion, the guide star . . . so lovely! It's easy to forget to look up, I fear . . .

Followers