Eclipse More Predictable than Human Life

(First posted in Fridae)

2011-12-10 22:47

Bro and I were walking home from the bus stop, coming home from Meidi-ya, when saw this Malay guy pointing his handphone up at something.

Ignoring him, we continued walking until Bro noticed the moon up in the sky to our right, and said, "Eclipse".

That's when I remembered reading about it being on this weekend in Yahoo news a few days back.

The guy heard, and said, "That's the lunar eclipse.". He sounded excited, still filming with his handphone.

Oh? Lunar eclipse now, while we were walking home? What a coincidence.

So, we stayed a while to watch, standing by side of the open carpark.

It was slow.

At first, the shadow of the earth curved over half bottom of the full moon. Then very slowly increased a little to cover three-quarters, leaving the top of the moon bright white. The bottom of the moon in shadow but still visible and cannot be mistaken for cloud cover because the curve of the shadow is distinct and forms a curved line.

We stayed for about 15 mins, while the guy continued filming, and I suspect uploading to twitter or facebook.

He spoke to a Chinese uncle who asked what he was doing. The uncle didn't get it at first, but the Malay guy spoke some Malay and the uncle was able to understand.

To bro and myself, it is interesting that a Malay guy is interested in Astronomy and so excited as well. Unusual.

When we left, he was busy looking into his handphone with a serious face.

To me, eclipses come and go. I used to try being excited over lunar and solar eclipses, but that excitement was not really genuine, although I appreciate the reminder that we are on Earth.

This eclipse is said to be the last total lunar eclipse until 2014. Between now and then, we are supposed to be content with partial lunar eclipses.

http://tasos.org.sg/

http://shadowandsubstance.com/  (motion pic of how it happens)

http://news.discovery.com/space/lunar-eclipse-total-last-2014-111209.html

Fact is, eclipses are even more predictable than human life.

The moon, the earth, the stars will still be here millions and billions of years from now.  Their lives speak of billions. Whether we gaze upon them in appreciation or not, does it still matter?

Like an ant gazing in awe at a human. Whether we gaze or not, we are still crushed by our destiny.

Why should I admire and appreciate something that outlives me?

In 2014, the moon will be eclipsed by earth's shadow, right on time, on schedule.

But I don't even know if I will still be around in 2014. Such is the unpredictability of human life.

Just to pass 1 year intact, alive and in good health, is difficult as it is. I used to take for granted that year after year, it will be the same, things will be the same, people will still remain.

That is not true.

This time, 4 years ago, someone left. Just 1 week before X'mas. Not even 1 second more, not even to see the next dawn. Not even another minute.

That is how precious life is and how short human time is.

Do you understand: you who smoke, have sex, drink alcohol, wear chest binders and laugh away? You poor pathetic imbeciles.

This is also the first time I mention it.

For someone who wants to live, it is very difficult to understand why life is denied to this person, when so many others waste theirs away on useless and frivolous things.

I sometimes wish-- a life for a life.

If possible, the life of someone who does not value his/her life or someone who feels empty, put into someone who is dying and wants to see the next morning.

If this were possible, I think this world would be a better place.

Bro said, we will still be around in 2014, hopefully richer. :) I would like to think this. But these things are not for us to say.

I certainly hope my loved ones will still be with me, and I with them. All of us in good health. And my work finished and published online. I think that is as good as my New Year's wish.