Frustrations Of A Self-Aware Mind
I am temporarily severed from my image files and camera gear so no photographs this time around. The vacuum is filled with facts and a feeble attempt to grasp their meaning.
If I were to travel at the speed of light (roughly 670,000,000 mph) I would reach the other edge of the Milky Way in about 100,000 years. The Milky Way is but one galaxy out of over 100,000,000,000 in the observable(!) universe, some of which are home to over 1,000,000,000,000 stars each, many not unlike our own sun, many far larger. And oh, that is just a tiny part of the universe. The other 95% or so is made of dark matter and dark energy which we know little about. And then there are dimensions of existence beyond our limited perception of mere space and time.
I think of all the beauty and knowledge and experiences out there to be had, and of the realization that I will never know or experience or understand even a minute sliver of it.
Let me at least revel in the knowledge that so much is yet out there and that the struggles of one life, even one species, even one planet, or one galaxy, don’t amount to much. The particles and energy that make who I am today may yet return as something altogether different, but what of my consciousness and memories and revelations?
Category: Thoughts and Musings
Hey Guy
My belief is that this is THE paradox of the universe – it’s what makes everything so beautifully perfect – “the struggles of one life, even one species, even one planet, or one galaxy, don’t amount to much” – yet they amount to EVERYTHING.
Your closing question will is beautiful.
Cheers
Carl
Thanks Carl! When I further think of the almost-unbearable weight of the memories and emotions of just this one life alone, I wonder if the human psyche and intellect can even bear the gravity and immense mystery of more than one insignificant existence at a time.
The size of the universe, and, ultimately the insignificance of our existence have always baffled, amazed, and humbled me. To further elaborate on Carl’s comment, what of art, or human creations? It could be argued that its also ultimately insignificant, but if, somehow, it changes the path of one person’s life, it could change the path of those molecules for quite some time.
That’s an encouraging thought indeed.
I hope that made a lick of sense
Cheers,
Greg
It does, Greg. Hard to get worked up over mundane minutia when pondering such concepts. If channeled correctly it can go full circle – consider the vastness of the universe as you set out to create your art. You’ll be amazed to realize how clear your vision will become when the otherwise-distracting buzz is put in proper perspective.
That’s about the best advice one could receive, I think. Thanks for your thoughts, Guy.
This post reminded me of “Casablanca.”
Bogart: Ilsa, I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that. Now, now… Here’s looking at you kid.
However, if pondering the universe makes you feel insignificant, I would humbly suggest your perspective *lacks* clarity.
The horrible truth is that you are part of it all. I mean the real you, the bigger part that knows it’s hitched to everything else in the universe, the you that can observe your own ego and laugh about its transitory concerns, its addiction to distracting buzz.
Man, do I ever like the way your brain works! Seriously. The next thing to ponder is how even the simplest seemingly insignificant words or actions (or works of art if you will), can have profound effects on other people, and how those little thoughts or actions create a ripple that spreads far beyond our own insignificant world. Where do they stop, or do they?
Our physical displacement, thoughts, interactions, feelings, in some degree are variables in the butterfly effect. I subscribe to the chaos theory. Given my limited intelligence and understanding in this universe, it makes perfect sense to me.
What kind of vibrations do you choose to emit?
P.S. Can’t help but take a Marijuana tangent given the stereo typical intellectually parallel verbose content. I try to choose positive …
Live if you want to live
(Rastaman vibration, yeah! Positive!)
That’s what we got to give!
(I’n'I vibration yeah! Positive)
Got to have a good vibe!
(Iyaman Iration, yeah! Irie ites!)
Wo-wo-ooh!
(Positive vibration, yeah! Positive!)
If you get down and you quarrel everyday,
You’re saying prayers to the devils, I say. Wo-oh-ooh!
Why not help one another on the way?
Make it much easier. (Just a little bit easier)
Say you just can’t live that negative way,
If you know what I mean;
Make way for the positive day,
‘Cause it’s news (new day) – news and days –
New time (new time), and if it’s a new feelin’ (new feelin’), yeah! –
Said it’s a new sign (new sign):
Oh, what a new day!
Pickin’ up?
Are you pickin’ up now?
Jah love – Jah love (protect us);
Jah love – Jah love (protect us);
Jah love – Jah love (protect us).
Rastaman vibration, yeah! (Positive!)
I’n'I vibration, yeah! (Positive!) Uh-huh-huh, a yeah!
Iyaman Iration, yeah! (Irie ites!) Wo-oo-oh!
*Positive vibration, yeah! (Positive!)
(cough cough) WTF just happened
“People have reality dampers. It is a popular fact that nine-tenths of the brain is not used and, like most popular facts, it is wrong. Not even the most stupid Creator would go to the trouble of making the human head carry around several pounds of unnecessary gray goo if its only real purpose was, for example, to serve as a delicacy for certain remote tribesmen in unexplored valleys. It is used. And one of its functions is to make the miraculous seem ordinary and turn the unusual into the usual.
“Because if this is not the case, then human beings, faced with the daily wondrousness of everything, would go around wearing big stupid grins, similar to those warn by certain remote tribesmen who occasionally get raided by the authorities and have the contents of their plastic greenhouses very seriously inspected. They’d say “Wow!” a lot. And no one would do much work.
Terry Pratchett, “Small Gods
How refreshing no direct supernatural references even on the comments (maybe one if you count the previous post)
Peace & Love.
This article reminds so much of my own ponderings. Thanks for that!
“The particles and energy that make who I am today may yet return as something altogether different, but what of my consciousness and memories and revelations?”
Well if you believe in karma, all that stuff comes back to haunt you in a future life until you get things right. Now quit sniveling and start getting things right
JK, great post, Guy. I often think about how the things we do in the “bigger picture,” are completely meaningless. And yet, it’s important for us to do them and to do them with dedication. We have to act, we have to dedicate ourselves to what we do. But it’s only when we let go of our expectations that our actions truly honor our existence.
My personal thoughts, feel free to ignore.