Every year we celebrate International Moon Day on July 20th, to celebrate the successful American mission of the first moon landing in 1969. This is proof that the obsession with the moon has been around for far longer than what we can imagine – but why is that? In this article, I’ll give you my subjective opinion on why we feel the desire to be close to the moon.
A Light in the Dark
If you don’t know, the moon is Earth’s satellite. That means the moon orbits around the Earth, as the Earth orbits around the Sun. A moon’s cycle is around 29 days, which is where we witness the moon phases. Although present mostly at night, the moon is not a star. Despite that, it outshines all of them. The moon offered guidance to our ancestors before we knew the world as it is.
Already there, we start to know why we gravitate towards it. The moon feels protective in a way, enveloping us in the light when the stars aren’t enough to provide us guidance. It is reassuring to know there is a light above us almost at all times.
Comfort in Loneliness
Because of the presence of the moon in our lives, a lot of lonely people have found their comfort in the moonlight, including myself. I used to spend nights by my window, looking out for the moon during nights when I was at my lowest. It would bring me peace knowing I wasn’t alone. It might sound cliche, but there is something unexplainable that draws you in. When I’m walking at night or the early morning and I spot the moon, I suddenly feel more connected to my environment. It grounds me, reminding me there are greater phenomena out there and what I’m going through is tiny compared to everything the world is made of.
One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
Neil Armstrong
It is no wonder the moon mission was of high importance. No matter how many discoveries are made around it, knowledge has no explanation for the magnet that it is. Feeling pulled by the desire to discover the moon is human nature.
Connection Through the Moon
Going beyond making us feel less lonely, there is the connection that the moon provides. When missing someone, the concept of the moon is great inspiration for art. Although you’ll see a different phase depending on where you are, it is still the same moon. We are all underneath the same sky, so even when you’re not with someone, you know they’re looking up at the same moon as you.
Yearning with the Moon
There is an inherent romance about the moon. It is bright, it is unattainable, it is reflective of what we’re experiencing. Sapphics, in particular, have written countless words about the satellite. While reflective of our emotions, yearning finds itself at the forefront. In poetry, the moon is often personified female.
The Moon was but a Chin of Gold
A Night or two ago—
And now she turns Her perfect Face
Upon the World below—Her Forehead is of Amplest Blonde—
Her Cheek—a Beryl hewn—
Her Eye unto the Summer Dew
The likest I have known—Her Lips of Amber never part—
But what must be the smile
Upon Her Friend she could confer
Were such Her Silver Will—And what a privilege to be
But the remotest Star—
For Certainty She take Her Way
Beside Your Palace Door—Her Bonnet is the Firmament—
Emily Dickinson
The Universe—Her Shoe—
The Stars—the Trinkets at Her Belt—
Her Dimities—of Blue—
Secrecy in the Night
The night has a reputation for the quietness it brings. Along with solitude and romance, secrecy is a concept associated with the moon. Who hasn’t wistfully stared at the moon on a lonely night and confessed what no one else has heard? Who hasn’t written in their journal during night time, moonlight on the page? Who hasn’t held a lover close as the light seeped in between the curtains? The moon offers a delicate secrecy, as it once again offers an understanding of the soul that goes beyond surface level.
Romance & Heartbreak
The moon has infiltrated our everyday life in ways we forget. Phrases such as “I would give you the moon” or “I love you to the moon and back” are used to express deeper love for another. Likewise, once the love we felt isn’t reciprocated or is gone, we turn towards the moon for understanding. The sun might heal you, but the moon unburdens you.
Identification
As stable as the presence of the moon is in our lives, it has the duality of representing change. With the phases it goes through, it is another reflection of the phases we go through as human beings. Sometimes, these changes cause us distress and fear, as the unknown can be the enemy of the mind. Having our planet’s satellite change constantly, although in a repeated pattern, offers some reassurance to the processes we go through.
i’ve always stared at the moon
with wonder filling my eyes
how she was beautiful
throughout all her phaseseven when she was redefining herself
as a new moon
i’ve still waited for her
to come backso tell my why was it complicated
to act the same towards myself?
there’s beauty in changing
and becoming a new persona full moon is splendid
I.H.
a completed process is admirable
but i mustn’t forget
the importance of the other phases
It is not for nothing that ancient rituals use the moon as a source of energy. The moon has immense power that is often overshadowed by the sun. The moon can control the tide, but not only. We find so much understanding in the moon because of the power it holds over our emotions – although it can’t speak to us, it speaks to our souls. In the end, it has to do with how the moon makes us feel understood in our emotions.
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