Jupiter danced across the sky above the black canopies of oaks, sending light out into the universe, bright and powerful and demanding. Saturn, fainter and a bit subdued followed a little lower but just as fast as if chasing its neighbor. Each danced its role. Danced it perfectly between and around wispy gray clouds.

Then the moon popped up above the black line of trees shining brighter than everything in sight. In the thickening clouds beneath the moon apricot tones shimmered. Warm hues reminded us the moon’s light is sunlight captured and thrown out into the galaxy.

Now the moon danced with pale Saturn and dramatic Jupiter. Now my spirit celebrated. My mind set aside fears of covid-19 and pain of racial subjugation. My brain turned away from news of wild fires and hurricanes and murder wasps. The Full Moon Sabbath delivered bliss. The universe offered a perfect commemoration of the connection of all things.

The clouds grew denser around the planets and the moon until they subdued Saturn and rendered Jupiter only an occasional glimpse of us. But they could not squelch the moon. Instead the moonlight bounced off them and dispersed its beauty in a widening array of glory.

I applauded to the Choreographer for such exquisite work. For those moments, I was not afraid of covid. For those moments, I simply respected covid as one more piece of the universe. I remembered. In every moment, I too dance in the universe.