By the Dark of the New Moon

My little moon phases icon is telling me that we have a New Moon tonight.

Having worked in the public sector, I can tell you that the dark of the moon can affect you every bit as much as the light can. The word lunatic literally means moonstruck, subject to the changes of the moon. Perhaps we need a word to describe the effects of the new moon.

I've been reading the work of Charles de Lint lately. He writes urban fantasy, which is this magical way of weaving together different mythologies and having them touch the modern world. It makes me want to pick up a pen and a pad of paper and go out under a tree and write - maybe not tales of myth and mystery, but write without a set purpose, just to see if I can recapture the magic writing used to hold for me.

I look at my bookcase filled with books on magic and folklore and I have to wonder, when did I lose interest? I have books on ancient civilizations, world mythology, mysteries of the unknown, psychic phenomena - they were once a big part of who I was.

Perhaps we all go through phases, just like the moon.

My moon phases icon shows the moon as zero per cent full. I like the thought that this is the beginning, not the end, of the lunar cycle. A time for beginnings. Hopefully, I’m entering a new phase too.

I guess you can colour me pensive tonight.