Brocken Spectre

A game of sun and shadow and fog.

Broken Spectre (in German Brockengespenst) is the magnified shadow of an observer cast upon clouds opposite the Sun's direction. The figure's head is often surrounded by the halo-like rings of coloured light forming a glory, which appears opposite the Sun's direction when uniformly-sized water droplets in clouds refract and backscatter sunlight.

The phenomenon can appear on any misty mountainside or cloud bank, even when seen from an airplane, but the frequent fogs and low-altitude accessibility of the Brocken, a peak in the Harz Mountains in Germany, have created a local legend from which the phenomenon draws its name. The Brocken spectre was observed and described by Johann Silberschlag in 1780, and has since been recorded often in literature about the region. (wikipedia)

Der furchtsame Riese Sonne stand am Himmel schief, lange Schatten warfen Zwerge, Riese saß auf seinem Berge, sah die Schatten und entlief. ~~Friedrich Rückert

There needs to be fog or clouds for the phenomenon to display.

I imagine to actually see a Brocken Specter would be an amazing experience. What strikes me is that this wonder cannot happen with out the sunshine AND clouds or fog. When one plans a hike, especially for the purpose of viewing nature at its best, they'd likely get out the phone, check the weather app and plan for the most beautiful, warm sunny day, and additionally hope that it is not spoilt by cloud cover moving in. One might set out in the morning hours to be fresh, full of energy. Rarely would one strike out as the sun begins to set.

It can be like that in life too -- Oh how we want all the days to be sunny and warm. We want them to be easy and enjoyable. But the reality is they are not like that all of the time. We have days where things can be uncomfortable at best and down right unbearable at their worst.

Most interesting to me in using the Brockengespenst as a metaphor, is how one could use the clouds and the setting sun to an advantage. In the poem above dwarves seem to be giants -- enough so that the real giants run in fear. Enormous shadows in the Harz Mountains could not be explained and folklore grew around the stories of "giants and ghosts" walking the peaks. All the while its the smallest creatures of lore and mountain travelers of a simpler time are the center of the phenomenon. Both spoke to me in that to make the amazing come into view, there will be times where clouds are necessary. Sometimes the giants dont run from you until the sun starts to set. Point being: dont stop looking, dont hide from the clouds, make the giant shadows even if it seems crazy to start something new after you have already seemingly done all the things.