The position of the moon

The moon was looming low overhead as we drove home the other night. Blair, with astonishment, yelled, as she noticed it. It was beautiful and appeared larger and closer to us than normal. "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear," I thought and wondered what was the phenomenon that causes this occurrence. The kids asked questions, "Do you think we could see the flag on it if we had a super powerful telescope?" "Does it look like it's falling out of the sky?" "What would happen if it does fall out of the sky?" "Is it cold on the moon?"

We couldn't take our eyes off of this beautiful celestial body.

The mysteries of the moon have puzzled great thinkers for centuries. Astronomers and researchers all have their theories, dating back to Aristotle. There are many ideas as to why the moon appears larger on the horizon but none have ever been proven. Even Nasa has no real explanation.

They basically say that it is either an optical illusion or how the brain perceives the sky as a flattened dome rather than a true hemisphere. Others say it is the angle from which you are viewing.

In any case it is about perspective.

While some situations in life never change, as in this case, the size of the moon, seeing it from a new perspective can change the whole outlook. Putting yourself in someone's shoes so to speak, can cause you to be more compassionate, more forgiving; better. It's your perception or how you internalize it, that causes this phenomenon.

After my father died of cancer, I watched a segment on t.v. about a hospital that was working with oncology med students, nurses, doctors and interns. These people had to ride a stationary bike for hours and the resistance settings on the bikes were automatically changed for them, causing higher inclines. They did this for hours and were winded, tired and worn out after it was over. Then they were told that this is how their chemotherapy patients feel after a treatment. Some of them cried because they just had no idea and were moved to be more compassionate.

Many great organizations have been started because of a perception. It seems that after we have been affected by a situation, we are more likely to affect change somewhere else.

It's funny how one person sees something a different way from another. One may see a beggar on a street and think they are lazy, working a scam and refuse to give some spare change. Another may see it as someone who has lost their way and are in need. And for whatever its intended use, they give the spare change.

While one sees loud children in a store as unruly, another sees them as everyday kids who may be tired just like theirs and they are oblivious to the sound. And frankly, secretly happy it's not theirs this time.

Human perspectives are interesting and varying don't you think?

Whatever they are, take a moment to look up tonight and see what kind of view you get.