Origin, brevity, and seizing this moment

Sometimes we need perspective to snap out of a rut. Consider these brief points on origin, brevity, and seizing this moment.

On origin

The astronomer Carl Sagan famously reminded us that, “we are made of star-stuff.” Stuff like oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen — all forged in the hearts of stars, scattered across the universe through a series of fortuitous explosions billions of years ago.

You and I are here under rather poetic and miraculous circumstances.

On brevity

If you compress the entire history of the universe into one calendar year, our lifetimes only register for .17 seconds or roughly how long it takes to blink your eyes (try it). Over 350 lifetimes will have passed in just this last minute alone.

On seizing this moment

You and I didn’t have to exist, yet here we are. It’s a brief and beautiful existence — or at least it can be made to be one.

Billions of lives — stories of love, pursuit, loss, and triumph — have come and past.

And, depending how things go, billions of lives will walk this planet long after you and me.

But never mind that for a moment because before that, we get enjoy this one-way ride now and, more importantly, define our experience of it.

I’ve got .1 seconds left at best, there isn’t any time to waste… there was never much to begin with.