How do I feel when I look at the stars?

#bloganuary22

When I saw this prompt, the very first thing that came to my mind was, how long has it been since I last looked at the stars? I mean, really looked? And I realised, the last time I did some serious stargazing was quite some time back, when I had gone back home for a vacation.

I also realised, we human beings tend to temporarily forget our place and misjudge our significance if we don’t, in some way or other, make an effort from time to time to connect with the immense stretches of nature and universe that envelop us. We forget how ephemeral our ‘existential’ print is in this universe. I mean, at best we could destroy this planet we occupy with our carbon footprint and our nukes, and it would probably make just as many ripples within the expanses of this universe and beyond as the drop of a pin in the ocean (apologies for the somewhat callous sounding observation, but this is exactly where we are headed unless we collectively jolt back to our senses).

This fact is what gets ‘re-hammered’ into your brain whenever you get the chance to pry your eyes off your cellphones or your laptops, and off your bills and busy lives, and shift them upwards. This is what I feel whenever I look up at the stars- the utter smallness of my existence.

It is by no means a depressing thought process. It is in fact, quite liberating. We all have an acute intrinsic need for periodic ‘let go, be free’ moments in our lives. And the way our lives are structured in today’s age, we feel this need somewhere deep within us, but rarely are we self-aware enough to consciously acknowledge it, let alone know how to go about satiating it. The sight of the night sky and the innumerable stars splattered across its immense stretches will provide you with that feeling of liberation, if only you think to give them a chance… or should I say, glance.

To me, the stars and the sky have always seemed alive and breathing. Back when I used to stargaze every night (in my student days- it was one of my favourite hobbies that I could literally spend hours on), I was almost always focused on Mars- the red spot stood out from the rest, and at the same time seemed to blend in so naturally. It was one constant in an otherwise indecipherable sky where I couldn’t tell apart one star from another nor was ever able to make out any constellations (even though I have always been interested in reading about fascinating facts related to galaxies and planets and black holes, I never had a ‘technically-oriented’ interest in the sky, so to speak🙂 ).

To me, the stars have always seemed able to suck out any negative or despondent thoughts. It’s like they are saying, ‘you are not the only one trying to make something of yourself; there are countless other entities in this universe doing the same. So, don’t feel any pressure, just do your thing, give it what you’ve got and, in the end, if it still doesn’t work out, no matter. We’ll still be here above you, exactly the same.’

Well, that makes you feel grounded and emancipated at the same time, no? 😀