The world is a big place, but back in "the day" it may have been even bigger. Before you and I were born, an object the size of Mars quite possibly collided with our planet and knocked it down a weight class or two. Luckily, this debris didn't venture far, and we now have the privilege of seeing it every night, hanging in the sky. I'm, of course, talking about the moon. Unfortunately, the hustle and bustle of modern society has caused our nearest neighbor to fall into obscurity in many of our hearts and minds.
But, I say, no more.
The world has a knack for causing us to lose sight on the simple things in life. We get wrapped up in our technology, in pop culture, in the media, our jobs and things that we deem necessary to get through another day. The age-old adage is true: we too often forget to stop and smell the roses. Maybe flowers aren't your thing, but never did a more humbling presence exist than the night sky. So the next time you find yourself smothered by the pace of life, take a deep breath, walk outside and look up. Do it alone, do it with friends or family. Doesn't matter, make like Nike and "Just Do It."
Be mesmerized. Feel the magnetism. All of creation, everything we are, was once out there, lost in the universe, and after billions of years of wandering, the atoms that make up your body found their way to becoming you. So, it's no surprise that when we take the time to stop and look up at night, we feel drawn to the vastness. Our atoms rediscover their roots and look back fondly on their journey through the cosmos. We can so easily forget the world and feel connected to a much grander purpose, if we would only take the time to give ourselves over to it.
The universe is infinitely vast, and that can be quite overwhelming at first, so take baby steps. Reacquaint yourself with the moon. Think back to when you were a child, excitedly proclaiming that you wanted to be an astronaut, and let that child's sense of awe and wonderment consume you. Feel small again. Isolate yourself. Make this about you and the moon. It's therapeutic, really. Her gaze hearkens back to a time in our youth when everything was new and exciting. As we grow up, this blithe appreciation for the world is replaced by responsibility and jaded sentiments, but it still exists within us. Who better than the moon to help us see it again?
It would do you well to feel a little humbled now and then, trust me. Momentarily shed the importance of your daily routine, of your debts, and of your obligations, and allow yourself to let go. Decompress, disconnect, and disengage from your daily life. You'll open yourself up to being connected to something so much bigger. There are no politics, there is no war, there is no terrorism, there is no 9-to-5. It's just you taking an infinitesimally small look at something infinitely bigger than everything you've ever known. So, if you're reading this at night, go outside when you're finished, find a nice spot, get comfortable and look up — and if it's during the day, tonight when it gets dark, you know what to do.
