Eclipsing the Collective Shrapnel

Photo credit: Kendall Rust

We live in times that are breathtakingly divisive (no secret) and, (also no secret), about 95% of it is fomented by aggravating headlines from the media.  I won’t induce a torrent of triggers by identifying some of the agents of division by name, but their irritating nature affects us all – even those who steadfastly avoid ingesting daily news reports. The ripple effect is real, and it’s gotten to an almost unbearable level…collective shrapnel – how it damages. And, crazy as it may sound, I think the cosmos may have stepped in to intervene.

Monday, millions upon millions of people gathered to witness an amazing event: The Solar Eclipse of 2024. It captivated the nation and much of the world. Those who didn’t find it so fascinating simply stayed home or went about their usual business, enjoying the abundance of parking spots at grocery stores and shopping plazas.

The sun and the moon -  cosmic equivalents of the masculine and feminine - conspired to get us to this point: Unified, effusive with joy, and fascinated by something otherworldly that was conflict-free.

Think about how badly we needed this: Eclipse anticipation built for weeks, and some of us were still aglow days after the fact. Not so much from glimpsing the moon covering the sun for a few magical moments, but because of the spirit of unity that swept through the land and our collectively ravaged psyche.

The shift began in mid-March, with news stations far and wide serving as Solar Eclipse town criers, offering viewing advice and litanies of thorough explanations about what would be taking place on April 8th. The topic grew in scope with each passing day, mercifully dominating the usual news coverage by gently elbowing out the unwelcome line-up of anxiety-inducing subject matter. Could you feel America easing up and relaxing, just a little? I’ll toast to that! It’s become a world where friends and families are at each other’s throats over ideological differences. Violent outbursts have replaced everyday civility, and economic despair often pummels even the most hopeful of hearts.

Is it any wonder why electric Department of Transportation  signs lined the highways along the belt of totality, warning people to expect delays on the big day? That didn’t stop us, though. Many were determined to brave the crowds and fork over the inflated hotel fees for the experience, which turned out to be about so much more than the Eclipse itself.  This may have been a rare astronomical wonder, but its appeal extends far beyond science and goes straight to the heart. As a culture, we’re starved for not only good news, but reasons to happily congregate. No WONDER there was a cacophony of excitement spreading like a happy tidal wave across the land.

Bill and I witnessed the wonder of the eclipse from our rooftop terrace, and later, watched the televised crowds gathering shoulder-to-shoulder across state lines. We reveled in the panoramic shots of awe-struck children and octogenarians alike gazing skyward in unison – it was the emotional salve we didn’t know we needed.

A friend told me she was in Vegas during the event. In a town known for tourists shuffling obliviously past each other on the strip, preferably without eye contact, April 8^th was different. She and her friends offered their Eclipse shades to nearby strangers on the sidewalk so they could have a look. Conversations ensued, and connections were made.

Kendall Rust, a 25-year-old amateur photographer from Memphis, traveled to Arkansas to capture the Eclipse on her camera, plunked herself in the path of totality and shot random photos at the sky on Monday. One of them turned out to be the proverbial money shot: a silhouette of a jet plane shooting past the edge of the sun’s obscured glow. Her photo made national news and in all likelihood, will catapult her from the realm of amateur to professional.

Another friend hosted relatives who made the trek to her Rochester home from Atlanta: a family of five plus two astronomically besotted friends. Her house was bursting at its seams with guests, it was sometimes chaotic, and she spent considerable time in the kitchen feeding the crowd, but she loved every minute of it.

So it seems the cosmos indeed interceded for us. We gathered harmoniously en masse…and as Katy Perry might characterize the outcome: we LIKED IT! The universe tossed us the ball. Now, what are we going to do with it?

Don’t be daunted. No one’s expecting to revamp Washington or Wall Street in a year. But, at the individual level, how about starting with a nod to a stranger, or a ‘no, you first,’ at the supermarket?

Ripple effect, my friends…ripple effect. Who’s in?