I cannot put into words how enchanting the eclipse was. We are truly blessed to have this privilege to join our friends, family, and strangers for a brief period of harmony. The joy, excitement, and togetherness we expressed today was inspiring, a bright spot in the darkness of all the events that have occurred over the last week.
We were directly in the path of totality, meaning that we would be seeing 100% coverage of the sun. Thousands flocked to East Tennessee to see this rare spectacle of nature. The last time we saw a total solar eclipse of this magnitude in East Tennessee was in 1918.
As the moon slowly hovered over the brilliant sun, I watched as darkness fell over the mountains and cascaded across the lake before it washed over us. The horizon was aflame with the same colors as sunset; orange, yellow, pink, and gold. The blue sky was blotted out by the stillness of night. The silence that followed was eerie. Birds stopped singing. Cicadas began to sing their evening songs. The entire place was still until totality began. It was a powerful reminder that nature will always hold complete dominion over humanity. All we can hope to do is watch the skies and try to understand our universe and the heavens above.
