I was looking at an amazing book called Far Out, A Space Time Chronicle. It’s a large coffee table book full of phenomenal photos of deep space taken by the Hubble Telescope. We could see the the same images as the Hubble Telescope if our iris was three feet wide. Our eye never blinked. And, if we could remain in a stationary position miles above our spinning planet.
All of the photos are accompanied by fascinating explanations. One particularly beautiful image points out that the photo is a live feed of the light that originated from a star 450 years ago. It’s not a recording or a reenactment. It is the light of the event happening. How can I be looking at an event unfolding that actually occurred 450 years ago?
It’s a concept that I seldom actually deal with in my daily life. An event unfolding seemingly live that actually happened in the past. It got me thinking about what I am doing now and how it will look in the future when my life catches up to it.
It’s much easier to think about this in terms of big events- marrying or divorcing, having children, leaving a job or not, changing carrier paths. It’s harder to think about the small decisions and interactions having equally profound effects. The more congruent or in alignment our smaller actions and thoughts are in relation to our bigger decision and desires the greater the likelihood we will find the future we want to be catching up to.
In reality, both have long term effects. It is more apparent to the naked eye how the big decisions can do this. It takes a more powerful perspective and understanding to see how small decisions and actions can equally not just echo in time, but are creating our future.
You are wise beyond you years my friend!
And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Wm. Shakespeare, Hamlet Act 1, scene 5, 159–167