Take a moon pill

By Monica Vest Wheeler

What is the song that "Annie" sings … yes … "the sun will come out tomorrow …"

Yep, the sun is shining whether we can see it or not, depending on how playful the clouds are that day. It's simply there, doing its job, lighting the way whether we choose to see the path or not.

And if we want to continue to "see," we certainly never look directly at the sun.

What we don't observe as often is the moon. It's constantly on the move and changing shapes and playing hide 'n seek. And sometimes, we're simply too tired by the day's end to look for it.

Eh, it will be there tomorrow.

How easily we forget.

We often spend a ton of money on entertainment … flashing lights, fancy moves, fantastic noises. But one of the grandest performances in the universe is right above us, demanding our attention several nights every month.

I'm back in Indiana, caring for my loved one. The other night, she said the moon should be out, and she walked slowly to the window.

"Look," she urged me to join her as she pulled the curtain back. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Wow, it's gorgeous!"

And we stood there for a couple of minutes in silence, mesmerized by the bright globe breaking through the darkness. It seemed close enough to grab, and we both left fingerprints on the glass to touch it with our imaginations.

It was the best drive-in movie I had seen in eons because I wasn't distracted by all those man-made elements. Both of us were in awe of the universe … and how much bigger than us it will always be.

Sometimes we need to be put in our place to see the bigger picture …

To see that we have a greater role than we usually allow ourselves to play …

To reach beyond our self-imposed limitations …

To indulge in the simple beauty of the earth and sky and heaven.

As she laid down in bed, her smile was bigger than the winter moon …

For what ails you … take a moon pill and call me in the morning.