WR104, Hit me with your Gamma Rays.

  So, here we are. Living beings. Out of all the possible combinations of elements, out of every factor necessary for creating life; from a heat source to gravity, and in addition to the amount of time required to have a species evolve. (I should also mention the the many obstacles that life encounters along the way and those it is sure to face in the future.) We are here, that in itself is hard to wrap the mind around. Then you start thinking about all those possible combinations, whose to say that there are not multiple universes with multiple galaxies with infinite combinations that create different types of life forms. Then you think about the amount of time it took for humans alone to evolve, modern humans are 50,000 years old... Earth is 4.5 Billion years old...this planet has been orbiting the our sun for 4.5 billion years.... apply that same school of thought to any other star and the planets that orbit them. Now, think about time. It would take 4.2 light years to reach the nearest star other than our sun, Alpha Centauri. One light year equals 5.87...x10 to the 12th power.... Alpha Centauri's light takes 4.3 years to reach Earth, traveling roughly 186,000 miles per SECOND. It is approximately 4.85 billion years old. 

  I'm not a scientist, nor do I pretend to be one. I cannot compute this and tell you any exact figure to make this understandable, I barely understand myself. All I can tell you are the facts as they are revealed to me, and what they are telling me is that there is so much more. More than we will probably ever know. And I like that. I believe that knowing one's place in life can help you see things a bit more clear. Grasping the concept that we are insignificant in the "grand scheme of things" is calming to me. It helps me put priorities in perspective. I want information. Like every human, I want to know why. We are here and rather than accepting that, clearing our minds and focusing on progressing to an unknown possible potential; We spend money on silly wars, we segregate ourselves and pretend as if each individual is alone in this journey. Life has gotten so convoluted and individuals are so entitled, we forget that its luck that we are here at all. I like to be reminded of that, reminded of where we came from and what we could be. 

  I highly recommend Stephen Hawking's latest book, The Grand Design. Despite the heavy subject matter (with a couple passes), it is easily comprehended and mind blowing. All the information is laid out in a concise manner and explained thoroughly. It really puts the scale of the universe and that capabilities it possesses in perspective. If reading is not really your thing (and if that is the case I apologize for my rambling) try watching the mini series that corresponds, Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking. There is just so much to know, lets not limit ourselves. I implore you, try to be open minded to all possibilities, don't be content with what you are told. Go out and seek new information, reach beyond your comfort zone and expand your knowledge base and challenge others to do the same. I hope humans can make a collective effort to unravel the many mysteries of our existence before something from the very universe that created inevitably destroys us.