Memento Mori Oil on Canvas 32”x40”. 2013
Well, Dang, I almost missed it. It’s a shame when we become so self-absorbed that we miss milestones in our daily journey. Last night I went outside well after dark. I heard Coyotes howling nearby and wanted to see if I could determine where they were. Not that it really mattered. Curiosity.
Looked up and there it was. The moon was shining through the trees. Close to full. I realized then that I had done nothing about the moon cycle for the month of July. No reading, and unfortunately, no writing.
So here I go. I sneaked in between Gibbous and Full to cast a note about this month’s spectacle.
The Buck Moon is so named because during these high summer days the male deer are growing their antlers. The Buck Moon is a good time to cast off old ways and cultivate new ideas. Take a long look at yourself in the mirror. Ask what can I grow new.
I realize there’s been a lot of talk lately about getting things back to a time when everything was great. In the midst of the discussion there have been few specifics other than establishing tribal identity. We certainly understand that. Being surrounded by people who talk, dress, look, act and think as we do makes us infinitely more comfortable. That’s why we buy whole milk in a jug and white bread. Nobody wants to deal with lumps and seeds.
Maybe during this Buck Moon cycle we should look at those things that make us comfortable and see if we are missing something. Maybe dropping a few old habits and growing some new ones will offer us a more compelling future.
I challenge you to join me Thursday night. Let the Buck Moon get high in the sky. As the pale light washes over you think of attitudes you can shed. Ask yourself if your social choices are made because you are following a script written by others. Build a fire and thrown the horns and skin of the past into the pit. Let them burn. Use the ashes to fertilize a new garden.
See you out there. July 10, 2025.
Good stuff Jim... really good.