It’s rather amazing, but in the northern hemisphere, the earth is at such a strange angle to the sun, that days and nights take on different meanings that most of us on the continental United States wouldn’t understand. During the winter, it’s unusually dark for most of the day, with only a bit of light for a few short hours; conversely, in the summer, it’s light for the majority of the day, with night only being a bit of darkness in the midst of an abundance of light.
My sister and I were privileged to be able to experience this phenomenon last summer, while in England. It’s really great; in England, a lot of the land is public trust, so people are allowed to trespass with care and caution. The Itinerant Idealist and myself would sneak out of our country manor house where we were staying, and wander the fields in the dark of night. But I do the night no justice, because they truly were nights as bright as day. You could sit in a field and look up, and see thousands upon thousands of stars, all lighting the way to some unknown, not yet trodden path. It was awe inspiring to be in such beauty; I am so used to being acclimated to a suburban lifestyle, with all of it’s modern amenities. But it was glorious to be privy to such a grand display of the art of God. It felt so detached from modern convenience; it felt wild and free, untamed, and I was simply a small witness to a heavenly dance. The grass in the fields singing in a hushed whisper, the trees clapping their hands, the stars singing a glorious melody to the heavens. The whole earth stopped to listen, or so it felt.
I’ll never forget such a moment, but sometimes I am afraid that the rapturous beauty of the moment will be lost over time; so I wrote two songs to capture the emotions I felt. The first is in fact titled, ‘The Night as Bright as Day’, which focuses on the heavens. The second is entitled ‘The Fields of Greatham’, which focuses on the living soul of the grass, trees, and wildlife. I hope you’ll enjoy both, and glimpse a meaningful and beautiful revelation I felt.
While on this subject, there is a new development in my music. I’m in the beginning stages of writing music for, and potentially producing a full-length musical instrumental project. It’s still pretty much in the ideas phase, and I’m still working to see if it’s a feasible possibility; but watch this space. I’ll be updating as I have more information.
2 Comments
June 1, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Yes, beautiful indeed the art of God is, penetrating even the last rungs of the universes with its exuding perfection in each and every single entity; the purposeful existence of every aspect of being, from the the smallest of electrons, to the bacteria; from the beautiful ladybirds to the detached humans; from the planets to the milky way, and much, much beyond. So exhilarating and perfect these divine entities are, each one of them, that they orchestrate the most wondrous of moments amidst the seemingly frustrating contradictions of the multitudes of divine dichotomies.
And imagine, all of this beauty would have gone waste – beyond the ability of experience – if mankind had not so perfectly created the suburban lifestyles of opposite luxuries, which even make it possible to compare such beauty with.
It’s God’s artistically perfect way to experience itself as what God is, by making this illusion wherein it is possible for its infinitum of fragments to experience everything – the heat and the rain, the night and the dark, the good and the bad – everything they want to experience themselves as, by giving a glorious gift of every present moment, a pre-sent moment, to create and re-create oneself in light of whatever one chooses to be, and sooner or later re-member with the re-congnize with the body of God. It is not in vain, thus, that Jesus said “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” and that is why he was one enlightened soul, a saviour like many others who came to “save” us from the extremity of this illusion of separateness. And yet we may choose to take this message and separate ourselves furthermore as seeing it as The Way heal our fears.
For the oneness of All is the ultimate experience of Godness, and inasmuch as we see each other as apart from ourselves, inasmuch as we see the wondrous love of God as apart from ourselves, how can we experience the beauty of it?
Thank you for sharing these delightful words, my friend; I have had similar experiences of late, and no experience comes close to that of experiencing a Oneness with Everything by first experiencing Oneness with Self, from deep within our souls.
For if we do not go within,
my amazing friend,
we would go without.
June 1, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Well, I’m glad I could inspire such an…elaborate comment! As you know, I believe the words of Jesus differently, in that I believe He was the only Saviour, and I find oneness only as I give my life away for others, and live in the love of Christ’s redemption.
But I am glad this has inspired you; regardless of our differences, it seems that we both love nature, and living in beauty, something I am increasingly seeking to do. And, as always, you are articulate and thoughtful in the highest regard. Thanks for the eloquent response!