Solar Eclipse of the Heart and Being in the Moment

The solar eclipse is crossing write over my home in Northeast Ohio on April 8th as it arches across the United States.  While there has been a big publicized anticipation for it during the past month or so,  I have been actively planning for the event since June of 2023.  I purchased my eclipse glasses from Amazon as well as a solar filter for my cell phone in June.  I even researched and made a solar lenses for my telescope several months prior.  I repaired my tripod that was not holding the weight of my telescope at certain angles with the help of a lot of YouTube videos and a toothpick. Little did I know that this would be a sign of things yet to come.  A week before the eclipse, in the brief time the sun shone in my area,  I made note of where the sun would be in the sky at 2 p.m. on April 8th when the eclipse would begin. Again at 3:14 p.m. when it would be at totality and then again at 4:29 p.m. when the eclipse would end.  I was ready!!

On Thursday evening, I reached out to my family to make them aware that I had 3 extra pair of eclipse glasses (I bought a 6 pack) and asking if anyone needed a pair or two.  Everyone was covered and had their own whether from attending a event where they were giving them away or picking them up for free at a library or other give away location.  I was happy that they were prepared.  I woke up and grabbed my phone to check my emails, which is a horrible habit to do before I even get out of bed in the morning.  I was alerted to an Amazon refund and warning from Amazon that the glasses I purchased in June had been advertised to be safe to view the solar eclipse.  Hmmm.  Thankful for the notice and the refund, but now I, the consummate planner, was the one with no eclipse glasses 3 days before the big event.  I believed our doggy daycare still had some, but then my daughter who was traveling home for the eclipse received three pair when see went to an event at The Ohio State University featuring a conversation with Bill Nye the Science Guy, who ironically is an engineer.  She would be bring all three pair home with her. Score!!

The weather on Saturday was the best that it had been since the left for my trip to Arizona almost one month before.  I grabbed all my eclipse equipment to test it out as the sun shone high in the sky.  Eclipse glasses were perfect!  I found my telescope with the filter more challenging.  Did I make it correctly?  How can I line it up?  I am not exaggerating when I say it took my over 45 minutes trying different lenses sizes and holding up a pair of the eclipse glasses over the spotting eye piece.  In frustration, I decided to test out my cell phone with different camera setting and after a bit of trial and error, I settled on the night setting.  Not perfect, but better than others.

I have repeatedly told myself that I was making all the preparations to be "in the moment" as I was in my Sedona Wolf Sanctuary  experience.  But the more time I spent prepping, the more I wanted the perfect view or the perfect photo shot.  I even knew that it was likely that the solar eclipse would be eclipsed by clouds.  I live in Northeast Ohio after all.

I returned to my telescope for one more adjustment and I felt it.  My manual focus's knob was turning, but nothing was happening.  I removed the four screws holding on the plate of my focal adjustment and saw the issue immediately. The gear had been stripped and there was no repairing it. I had two little pieces of metal smaller than mechanical pencil lead on the tip of my finger.  There was nothing for the gear to grip against.  It was over, my telescope was unusable. This broke my heart, not as much for the eclipse, but for the loss of my telescope.  I use it year round and almost nightly in the summer months even taking it with us when we camp overnight. Hindsight:  Knowing now how much I use it - I will upgrade my next telescope model.  

I had been reminded that I was so focused on capturing the moment of the moon blocking the sun that i allowed my technology to eclipse my experiencing of be fully immersed in the experience. My daughter suggested I buy a new telescope from Amazon to have delivered before the eclipse, but I retorted "No, I will wait until later. I want to be in the moment".