The Big Screen
Pondering Rarity and Wonder in the Universe
Introduction
In this issue of The Adventure of Reflection, I ponder the universe, especially the sky. There is something deeply moving by gazing upward, connecting with the heavens. Thank you for joining me as we contemplate the rarity of each person, the rarity of our planet, and the wonder of our universe.
A Minute of Motivation
Proclaim Your Rarity
Ever been to an auction for rare artwork or other “treasures?” The price each item brings depends upon many factors, but among the primary ones are rarity and beauty. If an item is the last or only one of its kind, then its desirability to potential buyers goes up. This rarity, combined with the inherent beauty of the item, can sometimes generate bids in the millions of dollars.
How rare and beautiful is each human being? Can any individual be replaced with another who is just the same? Do any two people possess exactly the same talents, dreams, and fears? Is there any other person who is exactly like you?
In all the world there is no one exactly like you. Throughout all the history of human existence there has NEVER been any person who is just like you. No matter how long humans continue to walk the face of this earth there will never be another YOU. You are unique. You are one of a kind. You are irreplaceable. This makes you very valuable, priceless, in fact.
Proclaim your rarity. Recognize your tremendous value. Millions, or even billions, of dollars could not produce another human being just like you. You are genetically and experientially unique.
Who you are and what you have to offer to this life is unique. Don’t deny the rest of us the beauty and value of your contribution to this existence we share.
Note. Written in 1993 and preserved on dot-matrix printer paper. Published here as we ponder rarity and wonder in the universe.
Enjoy Life More
Look Up
In 2019, we purchased 17.5 acres of undeveloped land. Surrounded by hundreds of acres of mostly undeveloped forest, our little piece of nature had no roads, utilities, or structures. One of our first objectives was to create a gravel access road and a clearing. My husband wanted an opening in the forest where he could launch fireworks into the sky; I wanted a way to star gaze.
We carefully selected, marked, and cleared a path for a road and an opening in the forest 100 feet across. We also had a somewhat level place cleared to park our motor-home. On our first overnight stay we anticipated the arrival of the stars, concerned the thin haze of clouds would obscure our star-gazing.
After dark, the heavens were so beautiful, the stars twinkling, that I dropped to the gravel road and laid down in awe. I later learned that, rather than blocking the stars, a thin haze of clouds will cause the stars to twinkle. It was more wonderful than I could comprehend.
During 2020, when everything was weird and many things were closed, we escaped into the woods every weekend. I practiced star gazing in the clearing, grateful for the minimal light pollution in the forest at night. And I found joy.
To enjoy life more, look up. There is the biggest screen, with the sharpest resolution, freely available every day.
Note about the image. This is a picture of me looking at the development of the solar eclipse in 2017. It amazes me that the moon is the perfect size to completely obstruct the sun. A solar eclipse is rare and wonderful. I watched this one with my parents, my husband, and my brother and his wife. It was epic.
Faith Corner
P.S. “and the stars.” (See Genesis 1:16b)
On Sunday I was responsible for reading the assigned scriptures for the day which included all 31 verses of the first chapter of Genesis plus 3 verses of the second chapter. In these 34 verses detailing the creation of “the heavens and the earth” there were three words that jumped off the page for me and have been echoing in my mind, heart, and spirit: “and the stars.” In the middle of the details about creating the earth, land and waters, the vegetation, the animals, humans, as well as the sun and the moon, there are three words about creating everything beyond our planet. Almost like a postscript, Genesis refers to the creation of the universe in the brief phrase “and the stars.”
Astronomers estimate the universe could contain up to one septillion stars or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Our galaxy alone contains more than 100 billion stars. In the Genesis account of creation all of those stars are captured in what is practically a P.S. The focus of the creation account is clearly on the Earth, its characteristics and inhabitants.
I grew up listening to Carl Sagan who seemed confident that complex life existed somewhere else in the universe. In contrast, Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee proposed the “Rare Earth hypothesis” in the year 2000, in their book Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe. In their scientific and statistical analysis, they propose that complex life is only possible on one planet, ours, because of the highly improbable combination of factors only present here. The vast universe of stars is necessary in order to make the unique combination of factors found on earth, in our solar system, in our galaxy, possible.
The Rare Earth Hypothesis contends that the one septillion stars are a necessary backdrop for the possibility of one planet, in orbit around one of those stars (our sun), to support complex life. It’s a compelling hypothesis, supported by a plethora of data (Rare Earth Hypothesis).
But the concept of a rare earth situated in a vast universe of stars is already described in the book of Genesis, with a P.S. noted for all septillion of them: “and the stars.”
Dear Lord, You are the creator of the universe and each of the septillion stars it contains. Within this unfathomable complexity, You also made the earth as our home. Thank You for the wonder and majesty of it all. Help me to live in joyous wonder and gratitude. Amen.
Poetry Pause
Mesmerized
The sun sets,
The sky transforms;
Blue to azure to black.
Gems emerge,
As clouds fade.
Moon, planets, and stars
Now take the stage;
Hidden by daylight,
Revealed by darkness.
Pondering infinity
I am
Mesmerized.
By Cindy MacGregor, June 8, 2023
Note. Sitting in my star-gazing clearing, this poem captures the magical shift from day to night.
Old Mom to Young Mom
Watch Nature’s Big Screen
As a child growing up in the country I loved the sky. I remember laying in the grass on a cloudy day and looking for images in the clouds. This was especially fun with someone else, pointing out to each other what we saw, laughing as cloud creatures mutated before us.
At night, the stars came out, providing another amazing display. I looked for constellations and planets, as well as imagining nature’s connect-the-dots. Sometimes I would walk away from the footprint of our home and the pole-light, seeking a darker place from which to view the sky.
These memories bring forth emotions of peace and comfort and well-being. Pondering the heavens, and even pondering the times I have pondered the heavens, creates a sense of “All is Well.” During the shut-down of 2020 I spent more time looking at the sky; that’s where normal could always be found.
Anne Baynard, in 1697, wrote: “I could wish that all young persons might be exhorted to … read the great book of nature, wherein they may see the wisdom and power of the Creator, in the order of the universe, and in the production and preservation of all things.” There were no screens in 1697, only books. She longed for all children to learn from the book of nature.
As an old mom to young parents, I offer this contemporary plea: I wish that all young persons and their parents might be exhorted to look away from the digital images produced on tiny screens and view, instead, the big screen of the sky, wherein they may see the wisdom and power of the Creator, in the order of the universe, and in the production and preservation of all things.
Watch nature’s big screen with your children. Doing so will create a sense of wellness and connection. Teach them to look up. All is well.
Dear Dr. Mac
[In response to Detours] Dear Cindy,
Thank you for today’s newsletter! I enjoyed your poem so much—I didn’t expect “Officially Unwanted Route.” Fabulous. I also thought about your google maps metaphor. In my life, I’ve found the hard way that using google maps has taken me way off track. I’d have been better off sticking with my original plan. Or my gut, my intuition. So that metaphor sure fits in my life with times when I’ve gotten focused on a path that was way off course but sure looked pretty from a distance. Still learning that one—literally and metaphorically. Thanks for your well written and thoughtful insight.
[signed] Amy
Dear Amy,
I am grateful my writing has made you think about your own journey through life, creating fresh insight. So many answers emerge from a quiet awareness of where we are at the moment; while much distraction can be found looking too far ahead or dwelling too much on the road behind us. Good drivers, like healthy people, pay closest attention to the road immediately ahead, while glancing at the road behind and being thoughtfully aware of the unfolding path in the distance. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences as a fellow “traveler.” Hearing from you encourages me to keep reflecting and writing!
[signed] Cindy
Dear Readers:
As a summer project I have been adding audio and images to all of my previous posts. You can find all my previous posts at Archive.
You have two ways to share your thoughts with me. You can leave a comment (see box below) or you can email me at: drcjmacgregor@outlook.com; I will respond to your email, and post our dialogue in a future newsletter (with your permission, of course). I love to hear from you!