In August 2017, the author embarked on a journey from North Carolina to Hopkinsville, Kentucky to witness her first total solar eclipse. Over the past eight months, she had been traveling in a van with her two dogs, searching for evidence of the Divine in a world where faith seemed to be fading. After experiencing many meaningful encounters during her journey, she was still looking for a moment of revelation that could restore her lost faith.
Upon arriving in Hopkinsville, now known as Eclipseville for the duration of the event, the author joined a diverse crowd of eclipse enthusiasts. People from different states and countries gathered in the municipal soccer fields, eagerly anticipating the celestial event. As she interacted with fellow eclipse viewers and witnessed the preparations, the author felt a sense of community and connection that she had been seeking. Despite the excitement surrounding the eclipse, she was still hoping for a personal revelation.
As the eclipse began, the author observed the reactions of the people around her. From families with children to photographers with expensive equipment, everyone seemed captivated by the celestial event unfolding above them. In a moment of tenderness, she felt a deep sense of love and connection towards the diverse group of people gathered to witness the eclipse. She realized that the true magic of the event was not just in the astronomical phenomenon, but in the shared experience of humanity.
When totality arrived, the author lay in the grass and watched as the sun disappeared behind the moon. The sudden change in temperature and the appearance of stars and planets in the sky created a surreal and awe-inspiring moment. In that brief span of time, she felt part of something vast and marvelous, akin to the sense of spiritual connection she had experienced in a church years ago. As the eclipse ended and people began to disperse, she reflected on the beauty of human frailty and the shared experience of joy and sorrow.
In the aftermath of the eclipse, the fields emptied out as people said their goodbyes and dispersed. Standing alone in the deserted fields, the author reflected on the real magic of the event – the sense of belonging to a flawed but radiant human family. Despite our flaws and failures, she realized, there is beauty in our shared humanity. The experience of the eclipse had brought her a sense of connection and illumination that she had been seeking throughout her journey.
The author’s memoir, “Chasing Light: One Van, Two Dogs, And An Ex-Pastor’s Search For The Divine,” chronicles her journey of self-discovery and spiritual exploration. Through encounters with diverse individuals and profound natural phenomena like the total solar eclipse, she learns to find glimpses of the Divine in the everyday moments of life. Ultimately, the journey leads her to a deeper understanding of faith and the interconnectedness of all beings in the vast universe.
