Perspective is so important during difficult times
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Northern Drift by Monique Sliedrecht
The first full moon of the year is the brightest of all the full moons. It is sometimes known as the Wolf Moon, a name given by the Algonquin tribe after the wolf packs that would hungrily howl near their villages, amidst the deep midwinter snows.
Here in the north it is a magical experience to walk into the semi darkness after the sun has set and find my way through the luminous, monochromatic palette of sky, earth and sea, only to look up and marvel at the source of this midnight radiance. The whole world is aglow with mystery.
I cannot imagine what it must be like to reverse this experience – to float in space and gaze down on Earth. Remarkably we live in an era where a tiny handful have done just that.
Last week, on Desert Island Discs, interviewer Lauren Laverne spoke to British astronaut Tim Peake.
To manage his extraordinary life, Peake made a ritual of floating up to the observatory windows to perform the mundane task of brushing his teeth whilst looking at the magnificent vision of the earth passing by.
Each time there was something different to see, he said - colours, lighting conditions, weather… but contemplating this rare beauty, he kept on brushing his teeth.
Simple rituals are very important in shaping our lives in all circumstances. “We’re so fortunate as astronauts,” said Peake. “We stick to a structure and routine on a space station to help us to make sure everybody knows what to do, when to do it and manage expectations to avoid conflict.” He expressed a deep sympathy for people facing lockdown without this kind of background.
It’s true that back on earth we’ve been plunged into a rather sudden and unexpected isolation over the last year. Our homes have become like miniature planets floating in space, and sometimes going out is like a space walk!
I grew up in Canada and one of the great heroes of that era was the Canadian space commander, Chris Hadfield. Perhaps he is most famous for his incredible performance of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ whilst floating through the International Space Station. He also spoke very personally about the impact of his adventures: “I wish everybody could see our earth for what it is. To rise above it and go around it once is not enough because you’re overwhelmed. To go around enough times until the patience starts to seep into you… the eternity of it…. It’s times like that you think about your beliefs.”
It’s certainly times like these when we learn patience, with ourselves and our circumstances, and stop to consider our home, Earth, as the precious gift that it is.
There is a famous photo of Tim Peake making a heart shape with his white gloved hands for his children through a bus window prior to the launch of the space ship in Kazakhstan, December 15, 2015. That image holds a lot of weight, especially since he is about to leave his wife and two little boys and embark on the most dangerous journey of his life.
Perhaps from such a place of care we can put our hearts against the windows of our own homes and send light and love out to our families and friends and the world beyond.
The next full moon is on February 27. Also known as the Snow Moon will you look up at it with me?
- Monique Sliedrecht is an artist and blogger based in Freswick – www.moniquesliedrecht.com
