Dear Editor
Our sense of being special received a nasty blow last week. NASA announced that 1284 new exoplanets had been found in recent spatial research.
These are spread throughout space over a vast area. About nine of those are thought to be rocky planets like Earth and a possible habitat. Then there is the question of how far space has expanded since the so-called ‘Big Bang.’ This label may have to change now we have the concept of never ending space. But can we get our minds around of ‘never ending space’? I can’t anyway. My expectation is that everything has an ending, including myself. Gives me the shivers!
Our earlier conventional ideas assumed that God was ‘up there’. But this earlier belief dodges the issue. I am reminded of one of my Favourite stories by George Bernard Shaw, ‘The Black girl in search of God?’ The girl asks many men, said to be wise, where can she find God. Eventually she meets an Irishman who has a down to earth wisdom. He tells her to settle down and raise her [children] well. Maybe we should all take this advice. Don’t worry about never ending space, just care for yourself, your friends, your family, and our lonely planet.
Ian McKissak
P.S. My thanks to my first fan letter written by Ste’en. Has to be Steven? Lots of Stevens.