I'm not usually an existential-type person. I don’t usually pause to think about the bigger picture of our lives and how we’re connected and all that deep stuff. The other day, however, I found myself staring up at the sky for no particular reason. In those few fleeting moments, I thought about the ways in which all of us humans are connected—we all place such importance on our own individuality, thinking that our problems are the most important thing in the universe. We can’t help it though, because it is almost impossible to get enough perspective to see the bigger picture: we are, in reality, tiny dots in a universe that is filled with natural phenomena that our own lives will never be able to hold a candle to.

I know that sounds really depressing, but I am not trying to imply that our lives are meaningless. Our lives are really the only thing that we will ever know. Until technology and science catches up to fiction and allows us to explore the rest of our universe. This means that each of us actually has incredible importance. One person, whether they plan to or not, can change the entire world because of this wonderful connection that we all share. We all live under the same sky, this shell of blue that joins us all.

I wonder how many people were looking up at the sky at the exact same time as I was? There could be someone halfway across the world pondering the exact same thing as I am right now, and I will never know. But we are still connected. Through our ideals, humanity can become more united and the world can become a more peaceful place. We all have to do what we can to create connections with the people in our lives because whether we like it or not, our time on this Earth is fleeting and life will go on without us. We can only hope to create a better future.