It was late 2006, we were on our way to Bicol on a path that was less travelled at the time. It was bumpy and there weren’t a lot of lights which made it a bit scary. But moving under the light only offered by space was breathtaking. The experience was humbling and it made me reflect on what I learned about life because of space.
The universe is so much bigger than ourselves
New research estimates that there are over 1 septillion stars in the universe. Yes, that’s 24 zeros. This made me feel very, very small. A small speck of dust in this vast universe. There will be plenty of things that I can wish to control, plan for, or even complain about. I can be sobbing in my bathroom and the couple next door won’t know about it.
But I’ve come to the realization that maybe we don’t need to compete with the universe or life. Maybe we’re not here for a purpose bigger than ourselves. Maybe we’re here just for the experience of being. If we’re all so small and insignificant, maybe we just need to live the best lives we can for ourselves and those we love.
There is still so much to explore
We’ve only explored a small fraction of space, even with our current technologies. There’s always a part of me that’s scared of that unknown. What if there’s a secret out there that we uncover before we’re ready? Are we positive we can handle the answers? Maybe space is there to remind us that when we are ready, it’ll still be just there waiting for us to explore it.
This also means there will always be room for growth and innovation. Because of this, I refuse to believe that everything’s been discovered, invented, or done before. If you put your heart into it, I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for.
There is no sound in space
Because there is no atmosphere in space, there’s no avenue for sound to travel. No loud sounds, no whispers, no noise, just stillness and quiet. This reminds me that sometimes we just need to be with ourselves. Quiet moments can give you more space to think and reflect on what’s bothering you, or assess if you’re still happy with how things are.
