After a particularly hard week, I was exhausted and just felt like going outside to get some fresh air. I started to look up at the night sky and as I stared at the vastness before me, my problems suddenly seemed so small.

I was in awe of the sheer endlessness of space and the billions of shiny entities staring back at me, as if to tell me – you’re not as important as you think you are, you little speck of nothingness.

Looking up there helped me put things into perspective.

You’re not alone

It was the famous astronomer Carl Sagan who marveled at how all of history and human drama is played out on a tiny dot barely recognizable in our crowded galaxy. Everyone we know, ever heard of – every human who ever was, will live out their lives on this dot.

As we struggle to make sense of our lives, the universe reminds us that we are all in the same boat, or as Sagan would say, the same “dot”. We often feel alone, but the reality is, we’re not. We can reach out to others and to our amazement, find common ground. The universe is a big place. The world, not so much.

The vastness is bearable through this one thing

Carl Sagan believed that in the final analysis, the answer to the question “What is it all about?” is not found in the heavens. But in us. The answer is love. Faced with the enormity, complexity and endlessness of space – we small creatures cope only by loving each other. Love, with its soothing hope and meaning, will outlast the stars and planets. Like the universe itself, love is for always.

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”
– Carl Sagan

If you stare into space long enough, you will see the shapes of the constellations, shooting stars and things unexplained. Your imagination will be activated, allowing you to ask “What if?” The universe wants you to get out of your comfort zone. It’s pushing you to move, explore, act and live your life as an adventure. Because – there is a lot yet to be discovered in your life, no matter how young or old you may be.

The universe is forever. We are not. But while we are here, we can make a difference in the lives of others. We can be a shining star. A bright light. And above all, we can do the one thing that will leave its mark on the ages.

We can love.

© 2016 Cory Robert Galbraith, All Rights Reserved.