Moonstruck

It's cherry season. Get 'em now or you won't get them at all.

I like that since it's not true of most produce. Asparagus, an early spring treat, has become a Thanksgiving staple (which is at least a venial sin). Blueberries are available fresh year round as are most other summer fruit. Add to that heat, air conditioning, underground walkways, and it's easy to lose touch with the fact that we're connected to the ebb and flow of seasons. But make no mistake about it, we are connected with the world as much as we erect barriers between the world and ourselves.

For example, a short article in the paper today begins "Sleepless night? Blame it on the full moon--even if you can't see it."

In the few days before and after a full moon... people took an average of five extra minutes to fall asleep, slept 20 minutes less per night and had 30 percent less deep sleep. 

Small wonder that on the nights around the full moon sleep volunteers reported that they didn't sleep as well as usual. And this was true even though they volunteers didn't know the moon was full and couldn't see the light of the moon through their windows.

While the scientists know there is a correlation, they admit that they don't know how it works. I suspect that, though it doesn't explain the mechanism behind the correlation, it's happens because we are connected to this world in fundamental ways that in our technologically advanced culture we ignore.

We can insulate ourselves from the seasons, pay no attention to the phases of the moon, and set bedtime and the alarm when it suits us rather than the light of the day, but we can't escape the rhythms inherent in creation because those rhythms are in us as part of the creation.

The next full moon isn't until August 21. If cherries are still in season, I'll plan to stay up late with a bowl full outside on the patio under the full moon. After all, we're not sleeping that night anyway.