As I closed my eyes, I beheld a comet.
So brilliant, so beautiful, so much the source of wonder to men
for thousands of years.
The comet orbits the Sun, but the Sun is not the centre of her orbit.
With exaggerated ellipse she swings hard and close by the Sun,
but then she moves away, away, away.
As her approach takes her to light, she flares and becomes brighter
and more beautiful, streaming a bridal train a million miles long.
Her high beauty comes as she reflects the full glory of the Sun.
But as she drifts, drifts, drifts away, her radiant visage fades
and the sweep of the glory of her tail fades out,
until she becomes just another object in the night sky...
indistinct and indistiguishable,
unattractive,
lost in amongst a million billion lost bodies
and so very alone and unseen...
Oh my Lord
Let me never be that comet.
May the Son be the constant centre of all life
and my life,
that I may may simply and gently reflect.
Reflect Your glory.
And if others see the Light,
And if others see beauty in the Light,
if others seek the warmth and the life of the Light,
let it be seen that I am but a poor reflection
but that I will be ever a faithful guide.
Photograph of the comet Hale-Bopp from NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day http://apod.nasa.gov/
