A Matter of Perspective

Carol A. Hand

A gift in the morning worth pondering…

Pale Blue Dot - Wikimedia
Pale Blue Dot – Wikimedia

 

“Our planet is a lonely spark in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity – in all this vastness – there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. The Earth is the only world known, so far, to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment, the Earth is where we make our stand.

“It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.” (Carl Sagan, from “The best speech about humanity”)

The Best Speech about Humanity – Carl Sagan

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Acknowledgment:

I wish to thank Notes to Ponder for sharing this video.

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24 thoughts on “A Matter of Perspective”

    1. Thank you for your thoughtful comments, Bob. Sagan was such a gifted philosopher and poet, and wise, as is Neil deGrasse Tyson. Perhaps it comes from gazing at the stars and contemplating how insignificant we are in a vast and unknown universe?

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      1. Hi Carol, nothing gives me peace like looking at the stars. There is something about the vastness of it all that makes me feel so alive and lucky. Take care. Bob

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Your photos convey the majesty and wonder of the night sky, Bob. I feel lucky to be able to witness the sky through the beautiful moments you preserve with your art (and hard work!).

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  6. Pingback: Sunday Morning Sagan | ~Burning Woman~

  7. Let me begin with thanks for reblogging Sunday Morning Sagan, your likes, follow and reblog serve as a reminder to why my perspective matters.It warms my heart to find like minds who recognize cosmic wonder transcends matters of faith in favour of issues that actually matter. Biggest of introductory hugs – your spirit and perspectives enrich mine.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much for your thoughtful, lovely comments. I am deeply grateful that I discovered your blog, so appropriately named. Your work gives one much to ponder. I send joyful virtual hugs in return and look forward to reading more of your important reflections. 🙂

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  8. Are there attempts now to build a wall around our planet to keep alien species from others from invading our planet? I see this idea now as a possible Breitbart conspiracy headline.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. A fascinating question, James. As yet, I think we’re still stuck in international battles for control of the planet. Your question made me curious about the historical “race for space” and the current politics of the international space station. I’ve included a couple links, one to an article about the US/Russia competition for space (http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3748152), and one that discusses relatively current politics that may affect international cooperation for the space station (http://spacenews.com/nasa-says-no-plans-for-iss-replacement-with-russia/ ). Perhaps fear of an alien invasion from outer space would bring peoples in the world together?

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    1. Thank you for your thoughtful comments, A Shift In Consciousness. Sagan left a legacy of wisdom that seems to be ignored and silenced in these Facebook/Twitter times.

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  11. I love the blue dot video and how puts everything in perspective. When I was a teenager I wouldn’t miss a “Cosmos” show, the only thing I watched in the black-and-white TV in a neighbour’s house 🙂

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