Lunar Eclipse Makes Us Grateful to Live in Mexico February 20
Cuernavacan skies were crystal clear for tonight’s spectacular lunar eclipse. There was even a stiff breeze to keep the mosquitoes away. We sat in our patio furniture, binoculars trained on the dusty golden orb, watching the light recede and return. Words really can’t describe how lovely it was, but it hung there as if strung from two bright stars.
I found it interesting to imagine how I might feel about the eclipse if I didn’t see it as a relatively simple, but gargantuan mechanical phenomenon. Don’t get me wrong, I’m duly humbled by this reminder of my teeny tiny place in a vast and wondrous Universe. For me, though, this evidence of the motion of the Earth and Moon is a safe reflection of a higher power’s unfailing harmony. What if I were seeing it as a sign from the gods or an omen? Would it feel like watching a loving parent’s face turn from a smile to a frown?
My husband says that traditional Mexicans put red flags in their fields and crops so that strong energy from a lunar eclipse doesn’t cause loss of flowers or fruits. Some people still fear the energy of a lunar eclipse and tonight’s event makes me want to know more about the views and feelings of Mexico’s various traditional groups toward eclipses.
When you retire in Mexico, make special note of lunar and star events because they are often visible. You can live it up in Mexico by doing things such as setting your alarm to get up in the wee hours of the morning to see meteor showers or planning trips out of town to see the milky way.