The absurdity of existence!

I’m often hit with waves of awe, as I consider the very act of existing and experiencing. That this should happen at all is nothing short of wondrous and can’t help but spark one’s curiosity.

Astronauts behold Earth from a cold, lifeless abyss and speak of a profound experience in the visual perception of the bounds - not only of humankind, but of all known life. The shared history of all beings - all upon this one Blue Dot.

Suddenly our opposition to one another falls away. We realise that we are all deeply (and obviously) interconnected. Our fate is a shared one, and what happens to one, happens to all.

In this world-view there’s very little tolerance for the petty squabbles brought on by our very worst qualities. Malice, hate, suffering… the things we inflict upon one another, and upon ourselves is truly disheartening.

And yet, here we are…

but here we are together! Forget about the blue dot! Here we are existing and experiencing. You need not travel to outer space to observe that no matter the reason, we exist. We exist here temporarily. We exist together.

We strive for peace in our own lives, even if sometimes we don’t know the path. I need only observe the last hour of my thoughts and actions to conclude: oftentimes, I act against myself. I disrupt my own inner peace by letting impulses control my actions and mindset.

The most achieved among us will concede that there is always room for improvement. A better self they are yet to access. So is it really any surprise at all when we look at this phenomenon on the macro level - we see warfare, greed, hunger, control?

We can be better. It all starts in the mind of each being. That we should view our terrestrial family with kindly warmth - even when it harms us. Our species is helpless but to do what the sum of her constituents do.

Whether conscious or unconscious, be kind to the fleeting phenomena within the panorama of experience. All will transform or dissolve. And so soon!

If it is not dissolution that takes place at the end of my short life, then I should hope that it is a peaceful experience - I hope that of all who find themselves existing. In the meantime, we must strive for peace here. We can be the custodians of peace for all who find themselves on our space rock.

Equally absurd as existing, is that we could achieve this at all. A pipe dream! And when I look within and see such contrast to this dream - I quickly distract myself with the details of a busy life.

And yet the awe returns! That same perplexity of existing at all! That I should be here. doing whatever it is I am doing. And that there are others here sharing my experience.

And while the utopian pipe dream seems so distant - at times like this, it also seems so obvious. And perhaps it’s not feasible… however prioritising it as a species definitely is.

In a time of unprecedented human connectivity (thanks technology), we have shown that we can value the same things - the same stories, music, movies, games, memes, events, hobbies, etc. Further we’ve created systems to embody these values.

Why is the topic of shared betterment so distant from the mainstream? We can talk all day about the aforementioned points - but not of our shared legacy, our shared goals and the obstacles we face within?

I would much prefer a world where instead of media engaging with us so we buy more or fear more - instead engages us with our shared humanity. The fellowship of all upon this planet. Perhaps some ideas about how we may overcome the worst aspects of humankind, and of ourselves as individuals.

We can at least do that.