The Awe of The Moon

The Awe of the Moon

I’m up early and high in the western sky the full moon begins to set. As I stared at it in wonder, a smile erupted on my face. The moon and the earth’s tides are connected. I love to hold that fact—not that I know what to do with it because it’s too overwhelming. Still, the beautiful sphere up there and I are connected.

Suddenly I thought of a story I love and I thought I’d share it with you.

One day, high in a mountain in a lonely monk’s hut, a thief came prowling around. Quietly, he entered the wooden shack not knowing what he would discover. To his dismay, there was nothing. A small wooden table where a bowl, a cup, a plain teapot, and a set of chopsticks made the single place setting. There was a chair, and a small mat, where someone slept using a thread-bare blanket.  A few other items were scattered around the neatly swept but poor dwelling. The burglar thought, This poor wretch is worse off than I am!

Nevertheless he grabbed up what he was able to carry not wanting to have his journey be an entire waste. Then he ran away. In his haste down the mountain, he nearly knocked over a monk slowly making his ascent. The monk paused and bowed to the man, who pulled his stolen goods closer to his chest and bolted as if seeing a ghost.

The monk entered his home a short while later. There he discovered that what meager possessions he had were gone. As he wandered around the room, he caught a glimpse of light through the only window. He walked to the window and saw the full moon rising. Staring wide-eyed, he began to weep and said, If only I had been able to give that man this moon.