Lately I've been trying to figure out what really "counts".I think most things are worth doing, like getting a morning coffee, for example, or petting a silly dog. But lately, I've been contemplating how short my existence will be compared to earth’s life. 4.6 billion years is the best human estimate of earth’s age. Now, human life on earth, not counting other forms of life, is not so old. If I remember correctly (and I probably don’t), it is estimated at only 100,000 years ago. It seems human existence is a relatively new to earth's living communities.*
Since I can’t really wrap my mind around those numbers I’ve done some calculations to put them into perspective. (Okay, I had Matt do some calculations because my brain doesn’t work so good.) According to our (very shady) calculations if you boil the earth’s life down to 1 year, in comparison my life (if I live for 100 years) would equal .1 second of that year – not even half of one second! In other words, my life is not even a whole thought to the earth.**
All of the sudden I realize that my life is like the grass that withers away when a new season approaches. So, I ask my self, “What do you want from your life on earth?” I really don’t know how to answer that… but I have some thoughts.
I want to be happy. I want to know love. I want the living earth to survive when I’m gone. I want all those I love (and even those I don’t) to know love and comfort in their short lifetime. I want to meditate on the shortness of my life daily so I always focus on what matters – whatever that is.
Here’s an old saying (sacred to many):
”For who knows what is good for a human in life, during the few and meaningless days s/he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after s/he is gone?”
Ecclesiastes 6:12
*At the quick rate in which humans have evolved we have not evolved far enough if our most sophisticated way of living is to unearth fossil fuel (which didn’t form overnight) for our mass consumption, promising to run out quickly, all the while poisoning the earth and ourselves.
** Although I’m sure she’ll remember us after we kill ourselves off, that is if she survives our existence. Why are we surprised when the living earth, with unprecedented violence, shakes with convulsions and hurls her guts fluids onto dry land?
Silly humans… maybe dogs should be petting us!
4 comments:
I haven't seen that movie but I will because of the recommendation (and that great little quip from it). I like that - if the tail was smarter it would wag the dog.
I don't think your thoughts are shallow. They are always insightful.
There is nothing to fear (even though I do) unless, in fact, there is an angry God demanding perfect people and is just waiting to smack us all over the head and then send us to hell for failing. I don't think God is like that, despite all the rhetoric that we heard growing up.
So, if God is the dog and I am the tail... I'm getting smarter... I'm wagging the God.
(Oooh, blasphemous!)
One more thing...
If you have to have a "filthy habit" I don't think you could have a more sacred one than music.
I think music is spirit and the honosty you infuse into yours is the closest thing to worship I know.
Thanks for sharing it with others.
(I hope someday I know what I love so much that my job just supports the habit. You're lucky and blessed!)
Okay, Lori, first of all I think our families must be related...
"a family full of pseudo-hypochondriac-ish/"Look busy, Jesus is coming" people"
that sounds like my life growing up. hee hee.
Anyway, VERY poetic comment. I should write that down somewhere (oh wait you already did)!
(sigh)
I've been sitting in the same place for 8 hours trying to write 3 @#$@#%$ pages.
I'm so funny! Does anybody read my comments to your comments?
Post a Comment