There will always be things
that happen in life
that will forever be
out of our control...
there will always be things
that happen in the universe
that will happen whether
we observe them or not...
there will always be things
that happen to people
at a particular time,
in a particular place,
that will bind them to one another...
there will always be things
that happen that will have
a profound effect on people
in different ways.

At the time of an eclipse -
when people gather together
to watch the moon align perfectly
in between the Earth and the Sun
and obscure its light for a short time -
people young and old
can be brought to tears,
the usually talkative can be silenced,
and those who wonder
whether we are alone in the universe
look up and are given a sign,
as the Moon casts its shadow upon the Earth,
and there is always a palpable mixture
of thoughts, feelings, and emotions
that rise to the surface
of the collective consciousness
of individuals who may have
been looking forward
to what is taking place
for a long time -
because witnessing an eclipse
is, and has always been,
considered special, sacred, and momentous -
because it is an occurrence of significance
that is both predictable, and yet rare.

After light returns
to a world that has been
veiled in darkness,
there is always a universal wave
of energy and excitement
that washes over people...
when the details and the colours
of the world can once again
be seen as clearly and as vibrantly,
as they are meant to be,
people can feel a sensation
of renewal, of reinvigoration,
and as if they want to make plans
and achieve new goals...
after an eclipse, people always
look at everyone around them
and appreciate them more
than before for some reason -
most likely because they realize
what the presence of certain people
in their lives means to them,
and because they experienced
what it is like to not see others
at the same time that they felt
they were still right besides them.

After experiencing a shared moment
that has a profound impact
on the way that people
perceived one another
and their connection to the universe,
when people return to their daily lives
a fragment of what was witnessed
always remains within someone
and occasionally makes them wonder
what lasting impression
they may have been left
upon those whom they have met -
perhaps akin to the importance
of the sun being eclipsed by the moon,
and those who were there to observe it
who were instantly awestruck
as they watched day become night
and light become dark.