Lunar Eclipse

The other night (March 3rd) we were privileged to enjoy a front row seat to the first of two lunar eclipses for 2007. I was able to take a pretty decent picture through my camera and had the opportunity to observe it from the time it started, through the total zenith, and the time it finished. Funny how, when you get a chance to slow down here, you stop and realize how small and insignificant we really are. When those chances to slow down present themselves to us here, you start to think. Home, family, friends, are usually the first on the list of topics, followed by deep and philosophical thoughts you didn’t pay much attention to in the past. And yet, in poetic irony, those thoughts come back to the forefront of your memories.

One of my first Army mentors in Germany on my first tour there, many years ago, was SSG Steven Suth. He was considered an old school soldier and quite an enigma for young soldiers at the time (1986). Steve was a Vietnam veteran with the 173rd Airborne Division. He never really went into too many details on a lot of things he did but I remember him telling us many stories about the place, the war and his friends. His last tour there, he was telling us about a mission he was on and that they (his team) had just inserted into the jungle through a waterway. Steve told us that what made that mission one of his most memorable was the date, July 20th, 1969. That was when the first astronauts landed on the moon. He told us that he remembered looking up at the moon and suddenly feeling very small and insignificant.

I found myself smiling at the “full circle” irony of it all. I thoroughly enjoyed my “slow” time for the eclipse and the time to reflect. I just thought I would share this event with all of you. Take care.