You saw the whole of the moon
Posted: 14th April 2026
I saw the crescent / But you saw the whole of the moon
I pictured a rainbow / You held it in your hands
These quotes are taken from the song “The Whole of the Moon” by The Waterboys.
I saw the crescent / But you saw the whole of the moon
For me, these lines are about perspective. Perspective is about taking a balanced and overall view of experiences, emotions, events, people, days, years, and even one’s life. We should always reflect on the whole event, situation, person, or life rather than focus on a small, usually negative, element. Such perspective often gives us a more positive and complete appreciation of the event or situation or person or life. There are many in the world who cannot do so even if they wanted to as their circumstances are so dire. There are many, however, who could do so but choose not to do so, or do not even consider doing so. And there are some who have little to be positive about but still achieve a positive state and a life of equanimity. So rather than just focussing on a part (the crescent), consider the whole.
I pictured a rainbow / You held it in your hands
These lines from the song go even further. As well as considering or viewing the situation or event or life, accept it and embrace it. “Hold it in your hands”. This means that negativity should be observed, accepted for what it is, reviewed to determine if any action is needed, and then parked. For positivity, this means embracing it fully, accepting it, and reflecting upon the positive emotion engendered by the situation or event.
Not everything in life will be positive. However, by considering “the whole” we can find much that is positive and when we do – we should reflect upon it, accept it, and embrace it. Life can sometimes be as beautiful as that “rainbow”.
I saw the crescent / But you saw the whole of the moon
I pictured a rainbow / You held it in your hands
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