Loving the stars - for what they say to me
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Equal To A Star
By
Francis William Bessler
1/24/2016
I do not consider myself an astronomer, but without knowing much about the heavens, I do consider myself a big fan of astronomy. Maybe in another life, I will choose to study astronomy, but in this one I am impressed with what I might say is "the lesson of a star."
What is that "lesson"? It is that in all probability, stars never end - or maybe I should say "galaxies comprised of stars never end." They just go on and on and on and on - stretching out into Infinity - which personally, I equate to God. What does that tell me? It tells me if one star is so small as to be insignificant amidst a probable infinity of stars that I should not feel terribly depressed that I am probably as insignificant as a human among humans as a star is insignificant among its own "family of stars."
Of course, a single star is not insignificant - anymore than any entity in reality is insignificant. Is it? One star is the same as all other stars - like one human is the same as all other humans; but no thing is truly insignificant. It just seems that way. If I look at a star, I see magnificence; and if I look at a human, I see the same thing. It may seem that a star among stars is insignificant because it is lost amidst a myriad of celestial entities & families, but upon looking at a star up close - if one can - then it becomes obvious that "all stars are equal" - though their details in size and composition do differ.
Now jumpstart that wonderful observation and apply it to humans. Looking at humanity from deep in space, we might seem as non-existent; but if we could telescope humanity from deep in space, we would find a wonderful creation; and looking at humanity from deep in space, all humans would seem alike. Would they not?
I must admit that I love the stars for what they are - without knowing what they are. They are simply wonderful mysteries to me - but no more so than humanity is a mystery to me; but leaving the details of each unknown, it should be obvious that we are all equal - as human beings. No star is better than another because it is the "same" as all other stars - in general - and likewise, no human should be considered better than another human because - in general - all humans are equal - in terms of our humanity.
Oh how I love the concept of equality! I think more than anything else in my life, I have learned that nothing beats a sense of equality; and if I but give myself to looking out and into the sky, that lesson for me is obvious. Everything up there - or better put, out there - is the very definition and reflection of the lesson of equality.
And what should I do with that lesson? As I have already stated, apply it to me - and all of humanity. Others, of course, do not see that lesson by looking at the stars - and have not seen that lesson by looking at the stars. For many, equality - or the sense thereof - flies in the face of reality because for ages, mankind has thrived on people being unequal.
I do agree that has been the way of the world, so to speak, to insist on and practice inequality, but I do not believe it is the ideal. Why should I continue the folly of the past and insist on marching down the same road of the past and continue the practice of demeaning others when they do not agree with me?
True equality, I think, carries with it a sense of security that may encourage others to practice one way over another, but it should never impose one practice over another. Let each of us decide for ourselves if we want to be like a star and know equality - or see a star as a stranger and learn nothing from it; but let us, too, learn from our past and realize that if we want Heaven someplace else, we better darn well start making it here on Earth.