A blood red lunatic.

Tonight is the Winter Solstice.  It's a yearly event, not entirely a huge deal I grant you, except tonight will be the first time in seven centuries we will see the shortest day of the year coincide with a full lunar eclipse.  It also happens to be the beginning of the New Year for the ancient Celts.


http://www.outerspaceuniverse.org/total-lunar-eclipse-of-december-21-2010.html

For me it is the inception of something else.  The emotional dive into writing about my life and my children.  Now, before you click that delete or close button know we are no ordinary family.  I am no soccer Mom, nor am I a saint.  I am however the primary caregiver to three incredible, amazing, brilliant pains in the asses you are likely to meet in a dark alley.  Ha! that got your attention ;)

I have the auspicious title of Mother to three special needs kids, aged 10, 7 and 4, Jacob, Cormac and Hannah.  We juggle a plethora of neurological diagnoses, including Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Early Onset Bipolar Disorder, Ad(h)d, Sensory Processing Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder and...well, I think I've run out of disorders in the DSM IV.  Maybe when the DSM V makes it's appearance I can tack on a few more for good measure;)  Of course before the DSM was a glint in psychiatry's eye, many of these diagnoses were in fact considered nothing more than feeble mindedness, willfulness, defiance, lunacy.

Lunacy!  Fascinating that even now we associate emotion, mood and the behavior that stems from it as connected to our celestial satellite.  The lunar orbit binds the Earth in tidal cycles and even casts light on our darkest shadows. With a wry smile the moment is not lost on me that I start this written journey of introspection and daily life on the Autism spectrum on this the first  Lunar eclipse I will witness in my life.

So, tonight on this Winter Solstice as I look up at that blood red moon (if I can make it to 2am), I know I will be experiencing something 700 years in the making.  A sign that the past is the past and only the present can truly count while our present actions and emotions shape our future.  Look at it like a Universal do over, I know I will.

Be well, oh and stay out of dark alleys....the 4 year old has a penchant for mayhem, unless of course the moon is casting it's light on your shadows.