Chance
Existence
“If,
one second after the Big Bang, the ratio of the density of the
universe to its expansion rate had differed from its assumed value by
only one part in [ten to the fifteenth power], the universe would
have either quickly collapsed upon itself or ballooned so rapidly
that stars and galaxies could not have condensed from the primal
matter.” Chet Raymo (Astronomer & Science Writer)
The
sunrise is pink this morning. Hopefully the skies will produce that
promise of rain. In central Alabama, we are under moderate drought
conditions—weeks of 90+ degree heat has baked the ground and
everything growing from it. There are places in this state where one
can find prickly pear and agave growing in what are now hardwood
forests. Obviously, it once was desert—and from the looks of
things, may be again.
What
an interesting world we have inherited. If you believe some
scientists, it happened by mere happenstance-one chance in a
trillion-trillion or some such incomprehensible number. And we humans
think that because we're considered “intelligent life” we have a
handle on things. We call the shots. We have dominion over it. I can
almost hear Mother Nature laughing. The created order can change in a
matter of weeks—just ask anyone whose family lived through famine
in the Congo, or the dust bowl. One look at California's reservoirs
right now will wipe all notions of dominion right out of your gray
matter.
We're
here for the ride. We give thanks when the ride is smooth, and hold
on for dear life when turbulence takes us where we didn't plan to go.
We can, and should, do our part as stewards, but we are not the
cosmic forces in control. We can appreciate a pink sunrise, and the
sound of birdsong, and agave growing in our forests. And we can
wonder what comes next.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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