Did you know that when there is a total eclipse, chickens and other animals actually think it is night and change their behavior accordingly? Check out this story about chickensduring a solar eclipse. The light dims and then disappears leaving the animals confused. They do whatever they can to get back on schedule. The poor little rooster in the article even crows as the light returns….gotta keep on track.
Another group watched the behaviors of gorillas during an eclipse. The gorillas stopped what they were doing and looked at the sky taking in the change. It seems that people are a lot like those chickens and less like the gorillas. When something changes in our lives, we don’t stop and ponder what is happening, rather we try to get things back to a normal routine.
We scurry about our lives with our goals and plans. Peck peck peck….my routine keeps me going.
I have plans, a schedule…a map for my future. College, work, boyfriend, career…so much going on.
Not feeling very well.
Pee on a pregnancy stick.
Positive test.
PREGNANT!
Pregnancy becomes a Total Eclipse in your life. Something crazy and unexpected. A schedule changer. So what will you do with an unexpected crisis such as a pregnancy? Or a job change? Or a loss? Will you pretend there is nothing strange happening and carry on like usual? Don’t even look up at that eclipse. Fly up to your roost and hope you can emerge in the “morning” unscathed…just another day.
Or perhaps you will take notice of the changes around you and raise your fist at the moon (It has the audacity to block your sunshine). No time to waste. This crazy event is a completely unwelcome schedule breaker. It must be conquered so you can get back to your important life tasks. That may mean taking on the sun and the moon or even your unplanned pregnancy…altering the course of nature to fit into your box.
Or you can take some time to stop and observe the change. Sometimes crazy and unexpected can lead to new opportunities and growth. Take some time to acknowledge what you are seeing and feeling. Is your schedule so important that you can’t slow down for something as momentous as a pregnancy? Can you see the wonder in it? And yes it lasts longer than a three-hour eclipse. But the sun (or daughter) will emerge at the end. Look at your “crisis” (is it truly a crisis? Chicken Little would think so). Take it in and understand your thoughts and feelings. It’s ok to feel a range of emotions from fear and shock to excitement and awe. Gather your facts and information without allowing your routine and your fears to cloud your judgement, and then create new plans that incorporate this change into your life.
Don’t forget the total eclipse in Casper happens on Monday, August 21, beginning at 10:22:17 AM. The period of total eclipse will begin at 11:42:39 AM and will last for only 2 minutes and 26 seconds. We have a choice as we do in many things in life…we can hide in our houses from the crowds and the changes in Casper or we can embrace the changes…make our plans and shop early. J It is suggested that you do most of your shopping early next week because the population of Casper is supposed to double during the eclipse weekend! Hoping you all have a wonderful safe Eclipse Festival!