What a wonderful world

I dressed like an eclipse Monday morning and heard Bonnie Tyler everywhere I went. Why wouldn’t I?

A total eclipse hardly ever happens and, when it does, you’re going to want to turn around, bright eyes, to see it.

But, when that moon slowly made its way past that sun and so many of us humans looked up toward the celestial show, Louis Armstrong seemed even more appropriate. What a Wonderful World we saw.

I followed several friends via their posts as they made their way to the path of totality and they all agreed that their efforts to spend even those few minutes experiencing a complete eclipse was well worth it, magical even.

My own experience was far more pedestrian, but I loved it just the same.

I hustled home from work as the eclipse peaked in my neighborhood, grabbed a colander and also tried to jam a pin-stuck piece of tinfoil on a hastily cut cereal box to fashion a viewing apparatus YouTube assured me was no fail.

Then, I spotted my very handy neighbors heading to the sled hill across the street and I trotted after them. That turned out to be the better plan.

Sharon and Samantha had an extra pair of glasses they generously gave me and I got to watch an 80% eclipse with them and their friends. Others who had gathered on the hill to observe were equally generous.

“Do you want to try this?” asked a young girl holding out a cardboard box.

“Sure!” I replied and I got to watch the show from that angle as well.

Another woman let us all examine the eclipse-generated shadows her colander threw.

It’s easy to recognize both the vastness and the fragility of this beautiful world when we settle in to enjoy a celestial show like we saw Monday. I think those are important observations to keep in mind as we make our way through cloudier, less ethereal days.

I think the humans standing down here on this planet are equally incredible — generous, eager, curious, kind and brave.

Sometimes, we need to look up to remember just how cool the people down here are.