| As I was driving down to my office, the traffic | | | | Yet, as I looked at that tree, I couldn't help but to |
| jam on the freeway gave me a chance to | | | | realize that for all its vastness, the universe |
| escape into what I call "big thinking." In the | | | | NEEDS us. It exists to give us a theatre in which |
| distance, I saw the wind gently shaking the top of | | | | we could gaze at it, study it, think about it, talk |
| a tree. I could have looked at a million different | | | | about it, explore it, etc., etc. We can travel to the |
| things, but I chose to look at that tree. In that | | | | other end of the physical universe in a mere |
| moment inspiration came a calling. When that | | | | moment by simply imagining. Not even light can |
| happens, it's difficult to get the idea out of your | | | | do that. We can choose what we want to think, |
| head until you somehow express it. | | | | and what we want to look at. In my case, it was |
| The idea that grabbed me was about the | | | | that tree right at that moment, right in that place. |
| vastness of our universe. I don't just mean the | | | | The lady in the next car over was on her cell |
| physical universe - planets and galaxies, and such. | | | | phone, a product of quantum physics where most |
| I'm referring to everything that we can | | | | of what is studied is based on imagination. |
| experience or imagine while we're on earth. The | | | | Even some of the self-help writers I admire have |
| physical universe is big, to say the least. But as | | | | written about the less-than-impressive meaning of |
| big as it is, think about the things you can imagine, | | | | our brief human experience in the context of an |
| plus all that is unseen (the spirit world), and you | | | | eternal life as "children of God." I see it another |
| begin to realize just how delicious this human | | | | way. We are "chips off the old block" so to speak. |
| experience is. | | | | We (humans) are a way for our creator to |
| I have heard many astronomers talk about the | | | | experience what he already knows: everything. |
| insignificance of our planet in the context of the | | | | We are infinite beings, temporarily occupying a |
| cosmos. This itty-bitty pebble; a mere spec in the | | | | human body and mind as part of God's ultimate |
| vastness of space. I have heard many religious | | | | purpose: infinite creation. As such, we need a big |
| leaders talk about the glory of God, and the | | | | playground to try things out. If you don't believe |
| insignificance of our wretched existence. | | | | me, just look at the size of our mental and |
| Philosophers as well have talked about the | | | | physical universe. |
| insignificance of our mortal existence. | | | | |