Putting things into Perspective

We live in a big universe. Do you realize how big it is? I can’t comprehend it’s size, and I doubt anyone else can either. Scientists have put the edge of the universe at more than 90 billion light years away.  Since the universe continues to expand at an enormous rate – it continues to move that edge farther and farther away. Is there a limit? Some astronomers think that the “blank” area is infinite. How can that be? Where are we anyway? We have to be somewhere don’t we? There has to be some limit doesn't there?

Let’s think about this for a moment. According to scientists, if there really is infinity out there, it means that every possible thing can and will happen.  Infinity means no limits to the possibilities. It means that there are other people, other worlds, other everything and someone identical to you (and I) reading (or writing) this blog. Does that give you the heebeegeebees?

If you don’t like the infinite universe theory there is the string theory that our universe is but one of an infinity number of universes (there’s that infinite again.) Personally, it seems if the first one is true, and everything can happen, then the second one can be included in the first one… ad infinitum…

Now let’s go back the other way. Think about how small out universe in this vast expanse. Think about how small our planet is in this universe. Think about how small we are on this planet. Think about how small molecules or atoms are in our body. Think about the fact that we have no real clue how small the smallest thing can be. Is there infinity in that direction too? Perhaps we in human form are occupying space the middle of all of the infinity of sizes.

My point is not astronomy. It is perspective. As a writer we are creating universes. Even non-fiction books create some kind of “bubble of knowledge.” We can never create anything near the vastness of the real universe. (I suppose J.R.R. Tolkien created one of the most complex literary universes.)

It seems to me that our written creations are universes in themselves. Maybe a part of the string theory. Maybe somewhere out there what we write is really coming true. If there is infinity of possibilities, this must be true. So what I have just said is true, and what you have recently written is taking place perhaps some billions of light years away. Odd, when you think about it. Downright odd.

Alan Elliott

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