As I flew to and from Orlando, Florida this past week, I had a chance to philosophize and wanted to share with all my blog friends, my thoughts on our existence on this planet.
Down here on Earth, humans seem pretty powerful. Standing at an average height of around 5'4" (depending on your country of origin), compared to the other living creatures around us, we're pretty monstrous. We build tall buildings that tower to the sky and drive around in vehicles bigger than anyone could have ever imagined would be necessary. Our cities become clouded with smog, we create garbage heaps tall enough to ski on, and we have recently been accused of altering the entire planet's temperature. From down here, we rule the world.
But has anybody ever taken a look at the world from 37,000 feet in the air? Suddenly, humans don't seem as powerful anymore. Massive sprawling cities become ant like in comparison and to make out a single human being would be near impossible. From 37,000 feet, it's nature that rules the world, not humans.
If we are that insignificant from 37,000 feet in the air, imagine how insignificant we become from outer space!
Are we insignificant enough to have absolutely no effect on the planet and it's changing weather patterns? I can't say for sure. But through the windows of an airplane, human life and our place on this planet become humbled against the sprawling landscape and open air around us. With our large egos and over-sized necessities I think we forget just how small we really are sometimes and take for granted just how powerful and massive the natural landscape around us truly is. I wish sometimes we all appreciated this, and wanted to care more for it, instead of trying to use it to our respective political advantages. After all, once we die...we die. And our time on this earth will be short lived. But our energy will remain here on this beautiful planet of ours, manifesting itself through heat on a hot day, or a brisk breeze on a cool fall day. It'll be carried in the wind of a tropical storm or in the rain of a Midwestern spring day. Through our death, we will become one with nature. We should care for it, as we would our own insignificant bodies. After all, it is more powerful than we will ever be or could ever hope to be in this human life of ours.
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4 comments:
I really like this post. It makes one think about how small, and how large, our footprint is on the earth.
I often think about that when I fly... it really puts things into perspective.... it was nice to see someone blog it and put it out there for lots of people to read. :)
Michele says hello!
~S
I like how you look at the world. It takes a special soul to be as introspective as this while flying. Whenever I fly, I also find myself wondering about the so-called Big Stuff. Life's too short to miss the wonder of it all, and your words reinforce this so eloquently.
Congrats, BTW, on your career move. It takes guts. I'm four months removed from going out on my own, and it's turning out to be the best decision I could have ever made. Yours feels just as right.
Thanks for the kind words Carmi!!!
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