Let the wheel come around

redmed informs me that there is a Hebrew tradition of celebrating a 28 year solar cycle – when the vernal equinox falls on a Tuesday at Sundown. According to wikipedia this represents a return of the sun to the position where it was when the world was made.

It’s worth noting that the Julian calendar messed everything up, and this particular observation is now progressing forward through the week. Welcome to the Wed. edition of a Tuesday celebration.

While I’m not a creationist, I do have a certain appreciation for the long, slow cycles of nature. A fortunate human being might get to hear this particular heartbeat three times. Some of us may get to see Halley’s comet twice. Most won’t.

Further, most people pass their lives wrapped up in the minutes and hours … barely getting their heads above water to observe the days or months. Seasons pass without notice – and so a lifetime goes by unobserved and uncherished. In that spirit, I too am celebrating this 28 year cycle.

28 years ago, I was 5 years old. I was approaching the end of kindergarden, living out in the country as an only child with my two parents. My hair was blond and uncontrollable, and I would tell endless stories out of my active imagination. For amusement, I painted on pennies with watercolor paints.

Now I’m 33 – I’m married and I have two siblings and one parent. Or – by another way of looking – I have three siblings and three parents. I’ve been all the way around the world, and I make a pretty darn good batch of beer.

Where were you 28 years ago? Where will you be 28 years from now?



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