Supermoon

Some time over the last few weeks, I heard news of a so-called 'supermoon' that would appear 10-15% larger than normal. They said the moon's orbit is not perfectly round, but instead follows an elliptical course about the earth, meaning that the distance between the earth and the moon actually changes from time to time. Every so often, the moon approaches and even exerts a stronger influence on the ocean tides.

After hearing the news report, I forgot about the supermoon, that is until my wife and I went to a movie on Saturday night and saw the moon rising behind a thin layer of clouds in the eastern sky. We had just parked our car on the upper level of the mall when we saw the moon and remembered. It really did appear larger than normal. But unlike some of the incredible pictures I found online, there was no Taj Mahal or striking mountain vista to frame my photograph of the moon; only a few neon signs on the side of a concrete wall and a tangle of power lines and street lamps. But despite the urban distraction, I cannot help but feel inspired.

The moon rises above it all.