Alike

A brief reflection on our shared humanity

Dear Treasure,

“We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” Maya Angelou

Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash

I’m writing from Southern California, where the weather is beginning to cool as autumn settles in.

And tonight, I witnessed a partial lunar eclipse—completely by accident. I walked outside the gym to take a call from my dad when I noticed a group of people staring up at the sky.

“Everyone is looking at something,” I said.

That’s when I saw it— an orange moon with a little chip in it. It looked just like a wheel of cheese someone took a tiny bite out of.

“It’s the moon!” I said to Dad.

“I’ll go outside to see if I can see it!” Dad said.

The moon looked big and bright and beautiful. And it was.

But what was even more beautiful to me was the way we all gathered to see it. Strangers started chatting, people streamed out of the gym and nearby shops, snapping pictures and lingering outside. It was a quiet, shared feeling of awe and wonder.

On a cold night, the moment warmed me like a sweater knitted with peace.

What warmed you this week?

Thanks for being here,

Ash

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