Moonlight

Life rushed in through that window - or so it seemed. In reality, of course, life rushes from within, not from without. There is no work of art so big or so beautiful that was not once all contained in some youthful body, like the one which lay...in the moonlight, pulsing with ardor and anticipation.

~Willa Cather
Last night was much like every other night, until the point at which I aroused for my 8 am class. This morning my roommate told me about her experience of awakening at five in the morning to see me spotlighted by the moonlight, as though God himself was shining directly down on me. Alas, I can only imagine the natural beauty of such a rare vision. Though the moon is unlike the stars, which are most often romanticized, it does convey its own sense of mystery and captivating elegance. "The sun is glorious in one way, the moon is glorious in another way, and the stars are glorious in their own [distinctive] way; for one star differs from and surpasses another in its beauty and brilliance." ( 1 Corinthians 15:41) The beauty each star emits is much like the beauty each human being contains. The concept of beauty is so intangible, yet everyone comprehends it; however each person has their own concept of what it really is.

I've never found myself in the spotlight, neither figuratively nor literally, until this glorious occurrence. Perhaps the moonlight emitted some source of confidence to this quiet little girl today, but I found myself extremely talkative both in my English class and after encountering Megan (who seemed taken aback for one reason or another). I'd like to think that my ability to communicate has improved a lot this school year, since that would be my main goal for my life in general. Now that I've begun my second class on communication (why I'm doomed to repeat a class so similar to one I passed last year, I cannot fathom), I feel rather knowledgable on the principles of effective verbal and nonverbal messages; I need only apply them to my own interactions to make my speech a bit more effective. In training for life outside of college, I've begun to realize the power a single person can have on others' lives without even realizing it. Each person I have spoken with at least once has no doubt had an effect on my thoughts, speech, or actions. We are reflections of our own selves as much as we are of other people, much like the moon reflects the sun's radiance. In a sense, as Christians, we are to reflect God's image of love and grace. Like the moon, there are times when we do not fully exemplify Christ; yet, there are also periods like last night's full moon, in which his light radiates beyond all imagination to touch the lives of others.

Lovingly yours,

Anna