A solitary Friday night in my world. I’m feeling a little maudlin, listening to Echo and the Bunnymen’s “The Killing Moon”, released in January 1984. I was getting ready to graduate high school at the time that song came out… completely unprepared for the world waiting ahead of me.

Thank the Universe I made it to this point, over 41 years later, relatively unscathed. Sometimes I really believe there were times the Universe gently pushed me out of the way of certain unfortunate events (or people) and softly took my hand to walk with me through the days when I was uncertain of things.

But there were other times when the Universe let me stumble – take a few “hard knocks”, so I could toughen up a bit. While it was happening, it was painful, but down the road, I was thankful for the lesson.

Tonight, the moon made herself available for company, sitting directly across from me, just above the treeline. She always seems to know when I could use a bit of her wisdom. So I share my thoughts and questions, and she listens quietly. I close my eyes, trying to relax and hear what she has to tell me on this night.

But I’m distracted by the song lyrics. They have so many interpretations.

“In starlit nights I saw you
So cruelly you kissed me
Your lips a magic world
Your sky all hung with jewels
The killing moon
Will come too soon.

Fate
Up against your will
Through the thick and thin
He will wait until
You give yourself to him.”

Moon was there on that first starlit night. And she was watching at the moment that words said turned my world upside down. She knows that her constant presence leads me to believe that all is as it should and will be – no fear of drowning… no more need to tread water. That better days truly are coming soon.

How soon is now? Oh, wait. That’s another song for another time…

But now, here’s Fate in the mix. I wonder what part he plays in all of this. Because if he’s going to eventually pull the rug out from under me, I’d rather know ahead of time and avoid it. That’s not a bruise I want to feel.

Moon, she’s here, sitting up in the sky, with very little to say. I’m waiting on her to say something to me… anything.

Sometimes she’s brutal.