I mention it in this post, because I experienced a strange connection between space travel and the unfathomable size of our universe, and the recent presidential debate, and the 23rd anniversary of 9/11.
Reading a book like "To Infinity and Beyond" can be both humbling and inspiring. Humbling, as the author discusses immensely cerebral subjects, space travel, the universe, infinity, etc, but in a way that is mostly accessible to the average person. While he occasionally drifts into details that can make your head spin, overall, it is not difficult to follow his line of reasoning, yet a the same time, he often reminds us that our solar system is but a speck in the universe.
And, that our universe may only be one of a plethora of universes, or that our idea of time on Earth may actually be just one of countless "times" that have existed, or may exist as we speak.
Thought of through such a lens, virtually all the things we fight about, kill each other for, obsess over, seem as silly as two fleas arguing over who owns the dog.
Inspiring because we can imagine such things, can read the words created by someone who discusses such things and think about and discuss them with others. We have been blessed with a brain that can create devises that allow us to look into the past (which is what we are doing when we see starlight), a brain that can then extrapolate data to contemplate on the size and scope of a 11 billion old existence, and a brain that can envision what we might encounter, or what might exist somewhere "out there" that we can't see.
I have often thought that the universe is far too big for us to be the only form of intelligent life (yes, I know I am giving us a compliment there), yet also wondered why we haven't been contacted or found evidence of other life. Now, as I read Tyson's book, it seems obvious that given the immensity of the universe (that we know about), and the possibility of various time dimensions, it may be just another one of the Creator's ways of allowing us to fail or succeed, on our own, just as She is allowing the thousands, if not millions of other sentient species to do the same throughout the expansiveness of time and space.
Kind of makes a 90 minute "debate" between two people on a Tuesday evening in a country of 350 million out of almost eight billion, on a planet in one of millions of solar systems in one of millions of galaxies, seem pretty trivial.
Still, Nora and I watched it.
As I have said before, if there is any justice in our infinitesimal percentage of time we are alive as compared with the time since the Big Bang, and time still to come, the debate will mark another episode where a woman knocks down Trump a peg, and if we are fortunate, marks another moment that future historians will point to as contributing to the end of Trump's influence.
Lastly, the actual point of this post, the 23rd anniversary of the horrific events of September 11, 2001. Before starting this post, I read five of the post I have done in the past concerning this topic. I enjoyed them, especially considering that they range in age from thirteen to eight years old.
While I am sad to say that I am disappointed that not enough has changed in our priorities over the years, I am hopeful that come November 5th, we will collectively turn a page and elect someone who,while she may not check all your boxes in terms of policy and vision, at least has a vision that is positive and hopeful and full of possibilities as opposed to someone who is stuck in the past, and has only his ability to bully and intimidate and spread hatred going for him.
Here is a link to the five posts:
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