Saturday, October 07, 2006
Full Moon
Looked up at the moon today. It's full, which means we're halfway through Ramadan. Amazing how quickly a month can pass. (Or half a month.)
I love the idea that I can look into the sky and see where we are in the month by the shape of the moon. It's one of the joys of the lunar calendar.
The moon is so mystically satisfying, even after we landed on it and walked around it, the mystery and wonder and beauty of the full moon is not diminshed. It may be a mundane place covered with rocks and dust, but who doesn't shiver when they see the full moon, golden on the horizon, or snowy white high in the sky?
One wonders, what in our biological history led to the appreciation of the moon, not just the practicality of its gentle light, but at the beauty of itself. Perhaps I need to do some research, but it seems to me the appreciation of beauty and the gratification we get be merely observing beautiful objects is something that has not got a lot of evolutionary value.
I love the idea that I can look into the sky and see where we are in the month by the shape of the moon. It's one of the joys of the lunar calendar.
The moon is so mystically satisfying, even after we landed on it and walked around it, the mystery and wonder and beauty of the full moon is not diminshed. It may be a mundane place covered with rocks and dust, but who doesn't shiver when they see the full moon, golden on the horizon, or snowy white high in the sky?
One wonders, what in our biological history led to the appreciation of the moon, not just the practicality of its gentle light, but at the beauty of itself. Perhaps I need to do some research, but it seems to me the appreciation of beauty and the gratification we get be merely observing beautiful objects is something that has not got a lot of evolutionary value.
