Moonlit Moments

The moon is a big deal around here, especially for Huwyl and I.  We share a special bond  of fascination for the silver face in the sky.  Although I grew up with the idea of the man in the moon, we now refer to the moon as she.  In the old traditions of Britain the moon represents the goddess, the hare than runs across her face a symbol of her fecundity and power.  In North America many of the First Peoples have stories about Grandmother Moon, the guide and protector of the people who live on the Earth.

Huwyl was just starting to identify Grandmother Moon when his own beloved Grandmother passed from this life to the next.  For want of a better explanation at our time of deep loss Stephen explained to the three year old boy that Grandma had gone ‘into the clouds’.  So the Grandmother that is the moon and the Grandmother in the sky became one.  So now the moon is Grandma watching over him and keeping him company along life’s way.

On our late night excursions to the bathroom we will stand by the window and moon watch, talk to her and ask her to watch over us.  When we were out skating recently and the bow of the moon shone down on us, Huwyl called up to her to come and watch him skate, to come and see how well he is doing.  We delightedly notice if the moon is present in the daylight sky and wave up to her like an unexpected but welcome visitor.

Last night Huwyl was awake through part of the night.  He has a cold which irritates this throat in the night and makes him cough.  To comfort  him I made him the honey remedy that my Grandma used to make for me, as did my mum, when I had a cough or sore throat.  I snuggled him in bed with a heat pack to warm his legs and opened the blinds so that he could see the comforting face of Grandma Moon.  I explained that she had come to help heal him and that her light would go into his chest through the night and help him get better.

As I lay beside him I was so touched by the sight of his beautiful face, traced in the silver blue light of the moonlight rolling, liquid like, into the room.  His expression was one of peace and acceptance as he looked out through his window at the ever familiar face of his beloved Moon.  I had told him that he would be healed, that he would be well and so he would.

I really do treasure these late night moments.  They are diamonds that stand out against the landscapes of our lives.  For a few moments we are caught together in contemplation, peaceful and united in our love of the moonlight.