New Lunar Year

Last night I could see the thin smile of the crescent moon low in the WSW, well below bright Venus. The new moon happened Sunday eve-Monday morn on just about the stroke of midnight (7 h 55 m UT) here in the Pacific Time Zone. The Chinese New Year was celebrated around the world on Monday the 26th. Theirs is a lunisolar calendar, that is, it marks the months by the phase of the moon even though it follows the solar year. The Chinese calendar requires "intercalary" months to be inserted every few years in order to maintain the moon-sun fit. Twelve lunar months does not equal 365 days!

I like the New Moon--more precisely, the young moon--because it make me feel a sense of renewal. The little ball of rock has swung around one complete turn with its big blue dancing partner, and we get to hit the reset button on our lives. That thin, hanging sliver is like a reminder to take a breath, check your footing, pick up the tune again and keep swinging. If life is a dance, what kind of music do you hear?