There Goes the Sun

The sun is the most influential other-worldly orb in our lives. Without it, we would freeze to death in no time. Is it any wonder that there was so much hype about losing the sun’s rays for even a few minutes yesterday?

And there was definitely hype. Peter and I first noticed it when the schools in the path of the eclipse began talking about switching their PA day in April so that students could have yesterday off. As former administrators, we understood. Young kids would be in danger as they walked home during unexpected darkness, and they’d likely sneak unprotected peeks at the sun. Teens would search for hiding place in the bushes where they could entertain themselves with more earthly pleasures. Safer to leave all this responsibility at home.

Besides, this did not have to be a teachable moment – that work was being covered by the media. Magazines, newspapers, podcasts, tv specials, youtube, all contributed to our collective knowledge of what was about to happen. Zoomer magazie did a piece on how to photograph the eclipse: getting the best shot while saving the photographer’s eyesignt. Our university news magazine, the Queen’s Review, did an article covering the history of eclipses, which began in the first millennium BC, when the Babylonians were the first scientists to recognize that lunar eclipses follow a pattern.

The Toronto Star also had articles about where to get the best view, how to use the special glasses, what to watch for in the animal kingdom. And eye-catching front page headlines:

Like our friends, Peter and I were excited. This might be our last chance to see a total eclipse. The next one will not be visible in North America until 2044, which would put us in our late 90’s, well-past our “best-before” date. So we went all in and bought glasses from Amazon for $21.00. Then we discovered that the local library was giving them away for free. Now we even had back-ups!

Yesterday the excitement in the air was palpable. Traffic started building up on the westbound routes early. Th QEW and the 403 were jammed well before noon. When I made a quick trip to the bank on Bloor St, the pedestrians were strangely silent, eveyone looking down or up, focused on the big event ahead. In the afternoon, television stations began showing us amazing views from Mexico and then Texas and finally Arkansas where several newly-married couples were toasting this double event.

In Toronto the clouds began to gather and it felt like rain. Undaunted, we took a bottle of champagne from the fridge and went next door to be with our neighbours. Then we waited… And waited. The kids started to get fidgety. “When is the sun going to hide?”

Suddenly someone yelled “There it is!” We grabbed our viewing glasses as the darkness eerily descended. Slowly the sky revealed a tiny sliver-like fingernail of brightness. It grew wider and turned orange against the darkened background. It was beautiful. It was strangely peaceful. Then it was over.

After experiencing the eclipse, it’s easy to understand our enthusiasm for this natural phenomenon. In these uncertain times, it confirms for us that there is something bigger than we are, a powerful constant in our lives. No mattter how many wars we fight, how many earthquakes we endure, how much disease we suffer, the sun is always up there. Even when it disappears for a few moments, we know it’s coming back.

Sue