Before tonight, I'd only ever witnessed a shooting star when I was debilitatingly intoxicated. As I sat outside, in the 2.9 degree weather, looking up at the sky smoking my last cigarette, it dawned on me that Albury and I have a bitter sweet relationship. I know, that in Melbourne, because of the illumination caused by the suburban lights and city skyscrapers, it is rare to see a shooting star, but tonight, I saw 3. As I gazed into the night sky for the short length of my cigarette, I couldn't help but consider how small we are. And as I took my last drag and my vision of the sky was clouded with smoke, it also made me consider how big we are too.
Some people claim that 10% of the stars we look at in the night sky, no longer exist. They are dead but we see them because their light continues to travel towards earth. As I shut the door, ending the connection between the sky and I, I was left wondering if we too leave light after we die. Whether we can continue to shine well after our years have passed. I never took one history class, even in the younger years where under some curriculum's it was compulsory, so please excuse me if I fail to recall even brighter lights left illuminating the earth, but when I think of people who have made a real difference in the world, I think of Martin Luther King, who's values of non violent civil rights still impact the way we live our lives and respect minorities.
Winston Churchill who inspired the British population to continue the fight against Hitler and the Nazi's and to stand up for what was right, which was the value of all lives regardless of race or religion. Abraham Lincoln, who ended slavery in the United States of America. Even, potentially, Jesus Christ.
In the grand scheme of things, we consider those people, individuals who changed the world. Yet, could we not consider everybody having some form of impact on the world. In the sense that, even though we gaze out into the stars only to be reminded that we are a tiny, tiny aspect of the universe. However; we have such great impact on our surroundings. As independent individuals, it is almost inevitable that we will affect someone or something in the world. Whether it be as great as eradicating slavery, providing minorities with the same rights as everybody else or standing up for the lives of every human being. Or as small, yet sufficient as respecting those around us, loving one another and supporting one another. We stand to prove as a greater force than expected.
However; with that said, perhaps in contrast to this theory, do people still alive continue to exist, yet shine no light? Are there people in this world who live for themselves and have no impact on anybody anywhere? Are there people who exist, but not live? Individuals who survive but not support?
So as I leave my thoughts of the small stars contrasting against the giant universe, I am left to consider that maybe just like the stars light eventually dims, does ours too?
