I Give Them the Moon
October 12, 2012 * * * * * Posted by: Catherine 
It's October and the evenings are drawing in. Like thousands of other Irish parents my sons are surfing under Australian blue skies, drinking coffee in the street cafes of Berlin or taking classes in a New York film school. Spreading their wings spectacularly while I follow their adventures from my perch on the hill.
Tonight the random rape and murder of one of their friends in Melbourne, 12,000 miles from home weighs heavily on me. The fragility of life and the grief of others has stopped me in my tracks. My sorrow is for her father and mother, for the friends out there, at how a young man could be so isolated and cut-off from any sense of reality or care, to inflict such pain.
Most days in the grassy wetlands I head out alone with my camera to meet up with one of my best teachers and collaborators, Mother Nature. It's late now but still I pound up the hill towards the forest, mutterring to myself about the world, about the fear. I don't pray but I carry all of our young emigrants in my heart as I walk the land. I carry their questions and their anger.....
To the west the sun is setting and to the east the moon is rising. I am reminded of other nights when I travelled the world myself. When I slept under the stars in the Black Forest in Germany and a moon just like this one hung over it like a Max Ernst painting. When I wept with frustration at having no where to sleep in Paris until a kind Jesuit found me a room. When I travelled by subway in NY chewing gum as a strategy to look tough, the most innocent looking pale faced girl on that train!
And here, with one foot in a rural haven and one foot in the global chaotic melting pot, with questions, confusion and anger whirring.......Mother Nature again whispers in my ear. Before I think twice I am reaching for the camera, I am besotted by this sky, I am again engrossed in the moon, the peace and the memories.
As I walk home pondering it all, I think about my boys and their friends wherever they are tonight. I imagine them under this clear sky with the chubby clouds. And then I close my eyes and with all my heart I give them the moon............
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Our guest and newest collaborator - Catherine Drea, comes to us from County Waterford, Ireland, blogging "about life in Foxglove Lane, photographing the ordinary and the everyday in a place where nothing much happens." Thank you, Catherine, for joining us here!
Catherine Drea, grief, moon
Reader Comments (21)
Oh Catherine. As an Australian I feel shame that one of us was capable of this random act of violence. It shook our world, and there were many, many gatherings and demonstrations expressing our grief at this tragedy, I am, we are so so sorry. It would be very naive of me to say or believe that these things don't happen in our country. They do. Nonetheless this act of violence to a visitor, an honoured guest, hit hard.
And nature is always if not a healer, then a balm for my soul. I am sure that your boys know that the moon and its pretty blue ribbon is a gift from you.
Words filled with pain, sorrow and hope all mixed in your heart, Catherine. When experiencing darkness and confusion Mother Nature always come to teach me the same way she does teach you. May peace come in your heart. Thank you for your visit here and for sharing this with us.
a big welcome, "karibu sana" catherine.... your words are beautiful, the way you tell this 'story'.... i found myself on that walk, sharing your thoughts and sadness...letting the beauty of nature bring some peace; the other side of life is always out there, but the times when we can balance it are precious.
A lovely piece of writing, which puts into words the sentiments of many us who have family scattered over the globe, and / or who have felt the shock waves of random violence to family or friends or to people they know. Its hard to deal with and the feelings last a long time. But good old Mother Nature always comes to the rescue, soothing and consoling us.
Ohhhhhhh..."mutterring to myself about the world, about the fear." So now we all know we aren't the only ones. But the way you have written about it is so melancholically beautiful, Catherine. It breaks my heart at the same time the moon heals it. You gave ME the moon. Thank you.
WELCOME to Vision and Verb! After seeing you visiting here so many times, it feels right that you are now one of us! Thank you for saying YES.
And - somehow - I find myself walking right there along side you..taking in all that beauty that mother nature so kindly offers up and wondering how it's possible that on the flip side - the world lives with such hatred and fear.
Such a beautiful soul-filled post. Welcome Catherine...welcome!!!
You write eloquently of the pain of being so far from loved ones in difficult times and the connection we often feel to them through the moon sharing the same night sky.
Barbara, I need to say that the Australian support for the family and friends was absolutely wonderful..... this violence against women is a global issue and there have been similar events in Ireland and everywhere....it disturbs us all....and thank you so much for your kind words....I am looking forward to visiting Melbourne next year I hope, what an amazing country....
as a visiting alum, i have to bow to you. your post was brilliant.
Such a beautiful image and deeply touching post. My heart goes out to those who are grieving such a terrible loss. How comforting this gift of the moon that you send to them and also to us... Thank you for sharing your wisdom here at Vision and Verb.
"I give them the moon", embodies exactly what I feel after my grown kids text, email, call, from many miles away, with both grave news and great news. Thanks for this perfect post.
Welcome to Vision and Verb, Catherine!
I can feel your pain - a young friend of mine was murdered in Puerto Rico two years ago - and remember well how the evil suddenly was so close. It was difficult to deal with. When your loved ones are far away it is even more difficult. I feel with you.
Your sons will see the moon and know that you gave her to them.
How horrible for his friend and the people who love her. I am always amazed at the human spirit and at the same time, how it can be so hurtful. When something like that happens, you must worry about your own children, you can't help it. I'm going through the exact season of life that you are. I'm taking inspiration from you!
Hey Catherine and welcome. I read your post very early this morning but had to wait until my heart settled down a bit before I could comment. First the image just took my breath away and then your words made tears come to my eyes. I am having such a hard time understanding the world right now.
But I'm just going to say that we are all here to hold each other up in those bad times and we all relate to your thoughts about your boys and I'm going to keep sending good thoughts out there, to the moon and back.
You have written about pain and tragedy in such a beautiful poignant way. Nature does always have a way of bringing a kind of peace when life is not quite what it might be.
This brought a tear to my eye... I am so sorry to hear of your tragic news, and I understand the pain and confusion of trying to walk in a world where such senselessness exists.
I, too, always find solace in Mother Nature, and I love the way you took us through that process here. May that moon bring comfort to you all.
Catherine, I've been out of town and am late - but sincere - with thanks for joining us at Vision and Verb. Lovely image and beautiful, soulful post. I join the others in saying 'May that moon bring comfort to you all.'
In a world where bad things happen unexpectedly and for no reason, the feeling of having no control can be suffocating sometimes. People like to find reasons, especially with rape and murder so they can feel it could never happen to them, but when it's someone you know, you realize it can happen to anyone. Getting out into nature, where there are cycles of life and death and rebirth, is the way I find peace also.
Thank you for joining Vision and Verb with such a heartfelt post and photo.
Oh no! Another blog I'm going to be addicted to! Welcome Catherine! Your photography is incredible and I'm looking forward to following your work. Recently a photographer was raped in Central Park in broad daylight only a few blocks from where I live. I just read that he groped two other women a street from the park before he was captured. Where does this madness come from? My condolences to you and yours...
Thank you all for your kind thoughts and wishes. They have been very much appreciated. I am looking forward to contributing here on Vision and Verb and getting to know the bloggers, the photographers and the guests. It just might take a bit of time!
Catherine, It's great to see you invited to write for V&V; just so sad that it's tempered by the bitter-sweet story about a troubling and reprehensible event.