April 18: Thoughts for the Day

Posted on April 18, 2014 by John Swinburn

Watching a television news announcement last night about the discovery of planet similar in size to earth that could be hospitable to life as we know it, I felt an incredible pang of sadness. The sadness arose from my acknowledgement that I have absolutely no chance to ever know whether there is life outside Earth.  I want to know.  But I won’t.  That’s a hard pill to swallow.

About John Swinburn

"Love not what you are but what you may become."― Miguel de Cervantes
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4 Responses to April 18: Thoughts for the Day

  1. John Swinburn says:
    April 18, 2014 at 11:54 am

    Pauline–Yes, I realize it’s possible…but I think VERY unlikely.

    Robyn–I feel as you do; the odds are very strongly in favor of it. Last night, I heard a comment that suggested there probably are billions of potentially life-supporting planets within the Milky Way! The figures are too large for my mind to understand!

    Juan–We’re all running from that bastardo! And I’ll keep at it until I have neither the strength nor the will to continue until el bastardo catches up…and with luck that will be many years hence! Keep riding, mi amigo!

  2. juan says:
    April 18, 2014 at 11:22 am

    Yes, it is a hard, huge pill to swallow, my Brother!

    What is harsh about living as long as 60 years (me) is that reality goes crashing into my whimsical dreams and my future prospects. There are places now I will not likely see.

    There is nothing more real, Hermano, than realizing that one’s “end” is on the horizon. It’s as if I was some horseman, running through the plains and hills all these years, and in stopping to camp and catch a break by my proverbial fire, I see another horseman on the horizon. And, I know who that horseman is! Twice in my youth, he almost came upon me, but I was to rascally for him to catch me then.

    But I am not alone, either. I have brothers, sisters, and colleagues who see the same lone horseman in the far or close distance. Sadly, two of my closest friends were caught up by this horseman some years back. That horseman never tires, and he is as fast as I was when I was many years younger. That horseman never wearies, never tires.

    But my age has provided me with a wealth of knowledge. My armor is more existential these days, and so like Tolstoy’s Ivan Illych I am as ready for that rider as any man or woman.

    In any case I ride my horse proudly….still a Texan outlaw….and will ride my caballo until I am caught! I’m bound to keep riding, and I got one more silver dollar! 😉

    Love you, John!

    On this Day, He died, too, for me and for you!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yojZ-Ksr8AE

  3. robin andrea says:
    April 18, 2014 at 10:33 am

    I just always trust that there is life somewhere else in the universe. It’s such an unimaginably vast place, it seems statistically impossible for life to have only occurred on our little planet.

  4. leadersonfire says:
    April 18, 2014 at 9:49 am

    Don’t jump to that conclusion too soon. You just never know… maybe tomorrow.

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