Ever wonder why people enjoy looking at the stars? Why do humans have such a fascination with these balls of fire light years away? Why do they always seem to surprise us all over again with their beauty, every single time we look at them? I believe that we love the stars because we like the idea of being a part of something bigger than ourselves. Every once in awhile, we enjoy the feeling of gazing at the stars and being reminded of our own insignificance.
Ever wonder why people enjoy people watching? Why do humans have such a fascination with other people around them, milling about, each going in his or her own direction? Why are we always surprised with new faces, doing new things, woven together into a new intricate maze everyday? I believe that we enjoy watching people because we like the idea of being a part of something bigger than ourselves. When we take a pause from our chaotic lives and stare at the world around us, we like the split-second feeling that we are simply side effects in other peoples' lives.
We re-realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things, and something about this experience, this lonely thought, makes us stand in awe and amazement that something could be so profound and beautiful. We enjoy the reminder that we are not the centre of the universe and the weight of the world doesn't sit on our shoulders. The world would continue to spin tomorrow, even if we weren't in it, and life would go on.
Sometimes, all we can do is pause and take in the beauty. In some inexplicable way, this feeling connects us all. Whether it be gazing at the stars or meeting someone new, we enjoy the moment of wonder that comes with the extraordinary; the realization that we have so much to still discover. There are literally entire galaxies that we have no idea about and here we are, so consumed with what is going on right in front of us. There are literally over seven billion people in the world and here we are, so consumed with our feelings right in this moment.
I encourage you to pause and take a minute to appreciate the beauty you have around you. Take a moment to look up at the stars. Take a moment to look at the people around you. You are simply one part that makes up a body; a single thread in a woven masterpiece. No part can function alone and no thread is a work of art by itself; you are an insignificant, but essential part of the world, all at the same time. Stay in this moment and be thankful for this beautiful paradox you have called life.