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The moon and stars and fatherhood
I write this post on the evening of a full moon. I have always anticipated and enjoyed full moons as they rise in the evening, stand guard through the night and set in the growing light of the dawn. I anticipate this evening a little differently since reading a research article by Suzanne M. Flannery Quinn. Her article is actually on the presence and depictions of fathers in best-selling picture books in the U.S. and is published in the Spring 2009 edition of Fathering: A Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice about Men as.... As more of an aside than anything else she notes the presence of the moon in a number of children’s books focusing on father-child relationships. This may simply be because many of the stories take place in the evening or nighttime when traditional dads are more available to their children, but Quinn wonders if it is also possible that the moon is a second-order sign related to fathers.
Since the moon is generally a symbol of night, and fathers are often accessible to their children at night, the moon could serve as an associative symbol of fathers. Within this association are the ideas that the moon is a light in the dark. The moon reflects the light of the (invisible) sun, and therefore serves as the assurance that the sun is present, just not visible. The moon is a satellite that is always present and revolving around a planet. But the moon is not always visible, and it does not always appear to be the same shape. However, from our vantage point we only see one face of the moon. When the moon is full, it is always the same. The moon is distant but visible and tangible, more accessible and (appearing) larger than the more distant stars in the sky. The second-order association between the moon and father might then be that a father is a light in the dark and a reminder that there is light. Father is always present, even if he is not always seen. Father has the ability to look different (from the child’s vantage point), but despite these phases, his face is always the same. Father is distant, yet tangible.
I wondered if others had made a symbolic analogy between fathers and the moon. So I did a Google search and immediately received this message: “Did you mean: moon symbol motherhood” . . . so much for that thought.
A friend of mind who is Native American and works with fathers encourages dads to take their sons and daughters out into the night and gaze up at the stars . . . Show them the stars in the sky. Tell them that as a child you saw these same stars, and that your grandparents saw them as well. Then tell them going back 100, 200 years your ancestors saw these stars. Tell your children that their grandchildren will see the same stars. Tell them that your family is connected in the past, present and the future. Tell them how much they are loved and appreciated. And tell them they must carry that love on into next generation by treating their children with love and kindness. Your love is a sacred connection that transcends time through the generations as constant as the moon and the stars.
Dad (or Mom) what word picture, image or analogy from nature would you use to describe the relationship you have or hope to have with your children? They are never too old to hear a story about the moon and the stars.
PS: For reviews of books with positive views of fathers and fatherhood visit BookDads.com.
Orginally posted at coloradodads.com
Since the moon is generally a symbol of night, and fathers are often accessible to their children at night, the moon could serve as an associative symbol of fathers. Within this association are the ideas that the moon is a light in the dark. The moon reflects the light of the (invisible) sun, and therefore serves as the assurance that the sun is present, just not visible. The moon is a satellite that is always present and revolving around a planet. But the moon is not always visible, and it does not always appear to be the same shape. However, from our vantage point we only see one face of the moon. When the moon is full, it is always the same. The moon is distant but visible and tangible, more accessible and (appearing) larger than the more distant stars in the sky. The second-order association between the moon and father might then be that a father is a light in the dark and a reminder that there is light. Father is always present, even if he is not always seen. Father has the ability to look different (from the child’s vantage point), but despite these phases, his face is always the same. Father is distant, yet tangible.
I wondered if others had made a symbolic analogy between fathers and the moon. So I did a Google search and immediately received this message: “Did you mean: moon symbol motherhood” . . . so much for that thought.
A friend of mind who is Native American and works with fathers encourages dads to take their sons and daughters out into the night and gaze up at the stars . . . Show them the stars in the sky. Tell them that as a child you saw these same stars, and that your grandparents saw them as well. Then tell them going back 100, 200 years your ancestors saw these stars. Tell your children that their grandchildren will see the same stars. Tell them that your family is connected in the past, present and the future. Tell them how much they are loved and appreciated. And tell them they must carry that love on into next generation by treating their children with love and kindness. Your love is a sacred connection that transcends time through the generations as constant as the moon and the stars.
Dad (or Mom) what word picture, image or analogy from nature would you use to describe the relationship you have or hope to have with your children? They are never too old to hear a story about the moon and the stars.
PS: For reviews of books with positive views of fathers and fatherhood visit BookDads.com.
Orginally posted at coloradodads.com
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