There was a partial eclipse yesterday. The annual "ring of fire" as they call it. I learned about it from as it was happening from a guy talking on his phone in a McDonald's bathroom. Needless to say, I was unprepared to truly see it.
A solor eclipse is wondrous. The kind of rare marvel that can make anyone of any disposition pause to look up for a moment. But without preparation and precaution, you're not gonna see shit. You'll just be blinded by the light.
There are people that pass through our lives like the moon passes in front of the sun. For a moment, they are there. For a moment, we are absolutely taken. For a moment, there's a brilliant flash of what life can be. For a moment, we are where we want to be.
But all too often, all we see is the brightness. We don't see the real person- just like we don't see the moon when looking at an eclipse. Not unless we're paying attention and we're ready. We only see the sun without special glasses. And we only see the idea of a person without substantial growth.
It's taken me 38 years and many mistakes to be able to see and appreciate people for who they are. I used to always see what I wanted to see. What I hoped to see. To quote a great contemporary poet, I'd "stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror." I was truly a fool.
And now- I'm still a fool. I do stare too long at the light sometimes. But at least I have glasses and self-awareness these days. Well… most days. Sometimes I still need a guy in McDonald's bathroom to help me realize I fucked up.
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