Why You Should Drop Everything and Chase the Moon (Literally)

Image source: NWS Seattle

Last night, after the most epic of all jam sessions (there was this moment when we were harmonizing Simon Garfunkel's "America," and we looked at each other and the sound of our voices meeting was, like, totally chilling), I said goodnight to my singing buddy and headed home. 

But before I even got halfway, I messaged him: "Have you seen the moon tonight? If not, GO LOOK! Venus is really close to the moon right now."

It was worth possibly waking him up over, because last night was IN. SANE.

I stared at the moon nonstop the whole way home. (I was carpooling with a neighbor, so it was totally safe.)

When we arrived, it was already past ten. The moon was getting lower in the sky and we couldn't see it from where we were anymore... But we decided it was necessary to drop everything and try to (not try and) get one last look.

And maybe even take an epic photo. Something like this:

Or this:

Except instead of a super moon, it would be a Venus-Moon photobomb. All you need's a camera that does well in low light (we used a Canon 6D) and, ideally, a tripod (though these photos were handheld -- that's how great the 6D is in low light!).

​So we dropped everything and chased our moon. We put aside our natural human instinct for idleness -- instead of checking our email, having a snack, or watching a TV show before bed, we raced up a hill to a nearby park, hoping to catch one last glimpse.

Even though we knew we probably wouldn't make it in time.

​Because, as I wrote in one of my first Happy Talent posts EVER, everything's always worth it.
​

It was 7:38pm, and pool session ended at 8pm. Lia, asked, "Should I still go? Is it even worth it?" 

I don't like to offer unsolicited advice, but since she asked, I said, "I like to say that everything's always worth it. Remember when we were young? Recess was 15 minutes long. That was enough time to line up in a single file line, walk down the hall, go outside, pick teams, play a full game of kickball, and then line back up and go back inside.

"We've got to reclaim the 15 minutes. We've got to believe that everything's always worth it."

Sure, I was being a little campy and over-the-top. I do that sometimes. But that really is a good life motto. I really do believe that. Read more >

It's silly. But it's still so true. 

I mean, remember recess? It was magical. And... it was literally 15 minutes long.

As adults, we hear a lot of, "By the time we get there, we'll only have 45 minutes before the pool closes," or, "It's a lot of driving," or, "I'm not sure if it's worth it."

We hear, "It's late," and, "I should probably get to bed," and, "I'm actually pretty tired." (Though we often say "tired" when we mean "drained from staring at a screen all day." The cure for too much screen time is NOT more screen time.)

​We hear, "It's too cold." (Hint: there is no such thing as "too cold." There is only "not dressed appropriately for the weather." And, as I used to say through shivers during snowy New Hampshire winters, "Cold is in the mind." It's that mindset that got me to the top of Mt. Rinjani a few weeks ago, despite only having clothes for hot, tropical weather -- thank God for surf leggings!)

From: @TheHappyTalent on Instagram.

​More often than not, though, that's that pesky instinct for idleness talking. 

And, more often than not, that Netflix show you stayed home to watch... totally sucked. Both artistically, and in the "the life out of you" sense. (See also: Netflix shows are getting offensively bad. You should find life entertainment, instead.) (Also -- zeugma for the win. Or not. It wasn't a very good one.)

Even if the show was decently good, even if you felt content eating that snack or checking those emails...

You could have felt breathless and amazed if you'd chosen to chase the moon. 

Image: Tom Wagner, Space Weather Gallery

Epilogue: 
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I didn't get my moonshot. Last night, I chased the moon in vain.

But it was still worth it.

After we couldn't see it from the local park, we ran back to the car, opened the "moon roof," and drove to a nearby vista point, singing our favorite moon songs with the wind in our hair. (He picked "Blue Moon." I picked "Moon Shadow," "Bad Moon Rising.")

We relived the glorious moment on a recent backpacking trip when we were sleeping peacefully without the rainfly on...

When suddenly, it felt like someone was shining a blinding spotlight on us -- the full moon had risen! 

We pulled over to check a local fig tree to see if the fruit was ripe yet.

We chased the moon in vain... But we had a joyous and social half-hour that we could have spent doing nothing and being passively entertained. 

So even if you don't catch the moon, you can at least land among the figs.

*** 

Want to know more? Check out: 
​

• Life Hack: Do What You Do When You Travel While You're At Home
• ​Playfulness Isn't a Trait. It's a Skill. And If You're a Millennial, You Probably Never Learned It.
• How to Have Fun EVERY Day -- WITHOUT Spending Much Money
• ​3 Reasons Why I Don't Do "Date Night"
• No, Traveling All The Time Will NOT Bring You Happiness

​And, of course, follow on me Facebook and Instagram.