There Can Be Only One?

Last Wednesday night after Lenten service, I was out on my porch roasting coffee. It was beautiful, crisp and clear. The moon was almost full and huge in the night sky.

I always think it’s cool to imagine who else is looking at the moon at the same time as I am. Famous people, world leaders, long-lost family members, old friends. Lovers enjoy each other under the same moon that shines on the poor, the forgotten, and the persecuted. And me, roasting coffee, enjoying a gift from the hand of God.

There are something like six and a half billion people in the world. Only about half of them, I guess, can see the moon at any given time. Most of the people under Sister Moon are probably inside, sleeping or eating or watching CSI or enjoying their family or trying to scrape together some kind of existence on this often unforgiving planet.

Is this as close to alone as I will ever get? Is it really possible that I was the only person on earth roasting coffee under the full moon last Wednesday?



Coffee-in-hand: Colombian Popayan

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The other night I was dragging the garbage bin down to the curb and stood for a moment to stare up a the moon. I thought to myself, "how many other poor slobs are as lazy as I am and thus they are likewise starng at the moon as at 11:30 at night. Almost the same thought as yours but not quite.

Rev

chris j pluger said...

It was for you that I wrote, "trying to scrape together some kind of existence on this often unforgiving planet."

Plugs

Anonymous said...

Sometimes I watch CSI while wondering how many people are staring at the same program.
-Roberto