The Big Picture

After spending many hours of contemplation in my VIP Lounge, I narrowed my wonderings down to two big questions: Where should I begin? And where should I end? The first question was easy to answer, but the second one remains unanswered. We’ll just have to see where this slog of a journey takes us.

My wonderings entailed considering which topics I believed would be most helpful to my beloved Pangeans. Ultimately, I decided to start with a look at the “Big Picture”. Thereafter, my subsequent wonderings will be shared within this initial frame. 

One might say, he’s talking about a frame, which suggests he believes in finitism! Or, you might say, he doesn’t believe in infinitism! Well, actually, neither would be true of me. I’m not locked onto any particular dogma. 

While any mainstream dogma grounded in opinion may be true or untrue, I think it is reasonable to assert that we need to overcome our human egocentricity. In my view, many of the most popular views held by humankind are residing at the peak of hubris and insecurity. 

We would do well to humbly accept our very insignificant place in the world. I believe the Divine power, which I believe created all of us, also created everything else. All of it is loved – not just us. The world doesn’t revolve around us; it does not exist to serve us. The world is us and we are the world. It strikes me that we are of ONE. The brightest minds among us believe our dualistic world began and will end with singularity. Why is that the case? Beats me!

Of course, that is just a guess. Anyone’s guess is as good as another’s. But, since we’re all left guessing, I think we most honor the Divine by using our power of reasoning to make our best guesses.

At the very least, we should never stop wondering about everything around us and in us. Take your explorations as far as you can. Who knows!  Perhaps, when we exit this thing called “Life”, we float about in Heaven or roast in Hell.  Maybe we frolic forever among hopeless virgins. Maybe we return as snails or whales. Maybe we dwell within a multiverse, or somewhere within a spectrum that’s beyond our sensory capabilities. Or, maybe we dwell inside a mathematical simulation! We understand so little, almost anything remains possible!

Yes, no matter what else you might think, one thing is definitely true: as new and fragile beings in this world, we have so much more to learn than we already know. But, surely, even our limited senses can recognize the presence of a Divine power that exists well beyond our comprehension. We can recognize the supreme importance of Love over all the other gifts we’ve been given. Those truths should be easy for even the most casual observer to understand.

So, I don’t know the answer to the Big Questions… and neither do you. But, let’s try to get a little closer.

To start…

I have an admission. I am tired. I’ve been ruling over Pangea for many, many years. Over all those years, I’ve seen so many births, deaths, joys, sorrows, miracles and mysteries that it would be nearly impossible for any mortal soul to imagine the exaltations and burdens I’ve borne. I’ve thwarted invaders, I’ve slayed dragons, I’ve climbed the highest mountains and been lost in the deepest of valleys. I’ve been pranked countless times by hobbits, I’ve discovered all manner of rare flora and fauna, I’ve fended off delusions brought about by carefree consumption of mead. I’ve tolerated and respected dissent, I’ve teared up over acts of love and loss, I’ve pondered existential matters to no satisfactory end. All of these experiences have left me physically and mentally worn out. That’s both good and bad. On the good side, I’m usually less distracted by the unimportant things in everyday life. I just don’t care about things that I’ve seen over and over that don’t really matter in the long run. On the bad side, I sometimes get bored with myself.

Yes, as they say, getting older isn’t for the faint of heart. Like most of us, I’ve gotten lots of dents and dings from all my years of slogging it out. But, growing older isn’t all bad. It also gives one the chance to grow while getting older, to acquire valuable wisdom and see things more clearly.

The wisdom and insight we gain in a long life are a precious gift that we can share, and I’m going to do just that. Maybe my motivation comes from my natural arrogance, but it also comes from my love for this world and my beautiful Pangeans.

So, I’ll start by sharing a poetic look at the dystopian world which borders my Kingdom of Pangea. Then, I’ll close with a message of encouragement and reassurance for each of you.

Here ya go…

My fellow Pangeans, just do this one thing for yourselves. Step outside, someplace where there is low light pollution, on a clear and cold starry night. Look up at the sky.  Hold your gaze and let yourself focus.

What do you see? You see beyond yourself. 

Imagine, if you will, God’s Light wrapping the whole sky in a warm embrace. If you stand still and look north, south, east and west, all the way to the horizon, you might feel a bit off-balance and disconnected from the ground. What one sees boggles the mind. And, what the human eye sees is only a minuscule part of God’s Light.

My dear, beloved Pangeans, if we can just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of God’s Light, we can feel uplifted, enlightened, and guided by our awe, humility, gratitude, and love for it all.

Sure, worries can be concerning, but they’re also temporary. Remember, in the end, all will be well. And if things aren’t going as planned, it’s not the end of the world! Everything will be alright.

What’s not to love?! Yes, love is all around us, filling our senses with beauty and wonder. From the captivating eyes we gaze into, to the sweet kisses we share, to the enchanting fragrances we smell, to the smooth skin we touch, to the sweet loving voices we hear… love permeates and punctuates every aspect of our senses… our lives.

The Divine is present in everything we experience, both in the world around us and within ourselves. Life is good, and the world is beautiful. All that most of us know, all that we seek, and all that we give or receive is bound in the essence of love. Or, on the off chance you encounter evil, which is a duality that does in fact exist, it can be exorcised from our world by your acts of love… or, if necessary and called upon, by an indomitable Pangean Knight.

And guess what? We are not alone! All that you see in the vastness of the starry sky is like a grain of sand on a beach that stretches far, far beyond the horizon. Across that vast expanse, in all probability, sentient life exists throughout this seemingly endless starry maze.

Once we embrace this probability, we can also imagine that those beings, in some form or another, are looking up with one, two or ten eyes and staring back at us. And, if they have evolved to a state of soulful awareness, they are mindful of the same things that tweak us. They, too, recognize the abundance and power of love in the world.

So, please remember, you are not alone. Look up! See God’s Light!

Embrace humility and gratitude. Have faith. Have hope. Receive and give love. That’s the best any of us can do.

Skol, my beautiful Pangeans! We’ll slog onward next month!