Dark Moon

 

Tonight is the Long Night of the New Moon, the rare cold New Moon of Winter Solstice. The dying flames in the fireplace flicker and cast soft glowing images on the ceiling. The clock on the mantel begrudgingly lumbers out the seconds; clink ... clank, clink … clank. A Hoot Owl's “Who are You?” echoes out in the dark night, and none answer. A cold wind rustles the dead leaves in the shrubs outside, and whistles through the window.

Alone again, as I often am, with no one to share my thoughts and dreams, at least no one who understands.

As my time draws near, I reflect back on my life, the dreams I had in my youth, my naivety, the blissful ignorance, the midlife disappointments and betrayals, the struggles to provide for my family. And, I think of all the successes and good fortunes I have had in my life, even though some of them at the time seemed like failures. I think of all the blessings, being born in a free country with opportunities for education and sustainable employment, where justice and the rule of law keeps the peace, where enough citizens are willing to fight and defend what we have. I am grateful!

I see so many in the world now that don't even have enough food or shelter, those who are deprived by ruthless and godless dictators. Dictators who see themselves as little gods to lord over the subjects while they bask in luxury and excess. Some of these do this in the name of God through religious indoctrination and education deprivation. These truly are the most evil!

Now in the Winter of my life, I have a short time to rekindle my childhood curiosity and fascination for life and all that is around us. Our good Mother Earth is our only safe sanctuary accessible in this dark and cold Universe, She provides for all life.

We do not “have dominion” over the Earth! We can not recklessly exploit resources and destroy our environment without serious consequence. We have exponentially developed technologies that allow each of us to communicate globally without the aid of a Broadcaster or a Publisher, and to wield personal computers that exceed the power of super computers from just a few decades ago. We have developed machines to do the work of planting and harvesting, have mobilized the population with automobiles, planes, and trains that were not even dreamed of two hundred years ago. We have also developed enough weapons to wipe off all humans on this planet, and make the Earth uninhabitable for thousands of years.

Even though our intelligence, reason ,and knowledge has allowed us to do all of these things physically, our social behavior is still in the Stone Age. There is so much greed, hate, lust for power and money, selfishness, arrogance, and pride, and there is so little love and tolerance these days. We have it in our power to bring the world as we know it to an end, or to make it a living Paradise!

All that Good has to do is Nothing for Evil to succeed!