Sunday, July 5, 2009

When You Realize You Have No Idea.


Out in the country you can see hundreds upon hundreds more stars more clearly. It is an astounding sight, amidst astounding quiet, and while gazing up at them, you remember you are ever so small and you feel ever so humbled.

Especially when you realize you have no idea which one is the North Star.

And then you might consider that at one time your Grandfather told you, but you have since forgotten.

And you wonder if you have forgotten because you were young and forgetful or because you can't see the stars well because you live in a smoggy city.

Then you find yourself coming to the conclusion that it is both.

Which makes you want to move somewhere you can see the stars.

Because, for some reason (perhaps literature or poems), you know deep inside that reflecting upon the stars is important. You aren't exactly sure why it is important, but you think it might be because doing so makes you aware of the fact that you are tiny, which makes you a little humble at the idea you are relatively insignificant.

And you also know that those are important things to realize from time to time. And you think, hey, these stars are pretty neat, and you like the way they keep you in perspective, just by looking at them.

Then you find yourself hoping that one day your children will be able to see them too, and in your optimism you think how great it would be to be able to show them the North Star, and want them to remember where it is...

in case they ever get lost.

6 comments:

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Marilyn said...

Interesting how being in a city like London, which is overflowing with people, does not inspire the same wonder at one's own insignificance as nature... insignificance- yes, wonder-no.

MYDell83 said...

Great great great awesome! I love that you always make me think!
I've definitely contemplated the stars at one point and realized the disadvantages of living in the city . . .

anna j said...

Beautiful, Annie! It reminds me of when I has teaching in Zambia and found the Southern Cross for the first time: it was a humbling experience to realize that I was looking at a "different" sky than when living in the U.S. . . . I think I wrote about it on my blog, if you wanted to look for it [that was in the Spring of 2007] in fact, I was just telling a coworker about that the other day: she didn't know that there were different constellations in the Southern Hemisphere. Anyhow, I think that one reason why Astronomy has always been such a fascinating subject to study in school was that it reminds me of how great our Creator must be, and how good it is to know that it's not all up to us!

Patty said...

Could you see the big dipper? The North Star is at the end of the handle, I think. The sky changes with the seasons and the time of night, so it is easier some times than others. Come to Kenney Ridge and I'll show you. We don't have light pollution as much out here.

Amber@theRunaMuck said...

Can you be my new favorite blog?

And would you write a little more?

That's all.

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