The total eclipse that happened on April 8, 2024 was nothing short of magical. I live in Austin, Texas, so I was in the path of complete totality – meaning, I’d get to see a full eclipsing of the moon over the sun. Leading up to the eclipse, which was to start around 1pm CT, there was nothing but clouds. I started feeling bad for all of those people who traveled to Texas to catch the view!

I decided to do some research about this particular eclipse. I have seen eclipses before, so what made this one so special? Well, the facts that I was old enough to appreciate Earth’s beauty and witness a total eclipse were what made it so special! There will not be another view of this type of eclipse in Austin for another 300 years (according to our news station).

When the time came close to totality, I scrambled to find my solar eclipse glasses (they were not where I had put them, thanks to my boyfriend) and made my way outside. By the grace of God, the luck of the Universe or some other higher power, the sun was in full view. Clouds were surrounding it, but there was no missing the view of nature doing what it does best…gracing us with amazing beauty. Watching the moon eclipse the sun with solar flares peeking out, seeing the world (or my world) go shaded with blue in the sky, and catching sight of a nearby star left me in awe. The experience was transformative. Everything went quiet. Everything went dark. Then, the sun came back out.

During my research, I wanted to understand why eclipses happen in our world. I learned that eclipses happen due to the moon’s “tilted” orbit, its shadow is constantly changing placement. Sometimes it’s too low and other times it’s too high above Earth. Eclipses occur when its placement is just right. That last part hit me. “Eclipses occur when its placement is just right.”

I started thinking about a recent eclipse I had in my own life. My new self had eclipsed my old self. It happened after my mother died. I even talked about it in detail in the article Not a New Chapter, a New Book. It made me realize that everything I had experienced up until that point and everything that led me to where I was resulted in a placement that was just right.

It left me feeling incredibly hopeful. Hopeful that this new version of me is the best for the next stage of my life. Hopeful that in spite of tragedy and despair, we can all still end up in just the right place. Hopeful that my short time, my brief existence, in this grand universe of ours can be filled with love, light, and purpose. I’ll never catch another eclipse like the one I saw in Austin, but I sure will be present and aware of the eclipses of my soul that will continue to happen over the course of time.

As I reflect on the beauty of the world God created, it puts into perspective just how precious life is. We get this one shot here on this Earth, and it’s up to us to make the most of it. There will be trying times, because without sadness we wouldn’t know happiness. But, appreciating our personal journey and appreciating the world around us can make sure we’re always focused on the right perspective.

When have you experienced an eclipse of your new self over your old self? What did you take away from it? What did you take away from nature’s recent eclipse? I would love to know!