Thinking on thinking

First a caveat. I'm uneducated about physics and neurology, so unable to talk about things like this with any modicum of real informed opinion. What I can do is wonder, and reflect on Wonder. So that's what this little thing is about. I wonder about the universe, the big and the small of it. I'm always curious, at a very pedestrian level, about astronomical and neurological discoveries, pushing the limits of our understanding as they do. Not enough to sweat through a text on either subject, just enough to watch a video online. :)

Recently I watched a piece on black holes, giant black holes threatening to swallow our universe. Terrifying thought in theory, but I didn't really focus on that because it won't make a difference to my life, really, either we're here or we're gone. The thing that stuck out for me was the astronomers. I am no where near being able to understand concepts like matter, time/ space continuum, gravity, although I believe they are some of the most profound concepts humans are capable of grasping. What struck me, though, is the enormity of the cosmos, billions- of -light -years -away -orbits and universes, stars, planets, galaxies. That there are sentient beings on just ONE of those anywhere capable of grasping the existence of the whole, and their interaction with that whole, and how their existence may be nullified by a part of it. I'm not sure about other sentient beings, though it makes sense that out of all those planets there are others somewhere, I'm just blown away at the possibility and seeming improbability that there are things on one of those planets that think, plan, and wonder. 

Then I was watching Charlie Rose's brain series. As much as people talk about cutting edge brain science we are still decades away from the whole. Because it's so complex, 3 dimensional plus chemicals. Rules and exceptions. Solid matter, generalities plus plasticity. And the rest of the  body, like that a virus can cause depression. ( I think we were smarter about the brain/body connection 150 years ago, before Freud, not that Freud didn't make significant contributions to science.) Here the thing that gets me is that we are sentient beings discovering the mechanism of our own sentience.  What kind of being is capable of that? To me, this is a real miracle. 

Perhaps other species would do the same if they had the same use of tools, who knows. I wonder how we can know? Like whales, especially, with their huge brains. Anyway, the thing is, at least from my understanding, brain science is the last frontier in human anatomy. All the other organs are pretty well figured out. Nerve interactions are still being discovered, I think, but by and large the brain is the last frontier. The seat of the stuff doing the discovering. I don't really know what I'm trying to say, just that I think this is so cool and kind of, not ironic, but something sort of like that but more significant and positive. Brilliant and fun. 

Taken together it brings to mind this Psalm:" I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. "

More Lent

I've decided to help with a local event for my Lent work- it's a Sustainability Fair, going on May 16th. My friend Eve and newer friend Denise are driving it. Thing is we need some FB contacts, so I'm doing that much on FB but no more. Kind of exciting, the first one done here, and getting a wide range of people involved. Everything from Solar Energy cos to the Dept of Natural Resources to local bike shops plus more. And working, and I'm tired, but in a good way. :)

Lent

I gave up Facebook for Lent. So now I'm blogging about it. People say blogging is dead. Maybe. Well, I'm still alive.

Anyway, in case anyone is reading this and wondering, yes, it is hard. Talking to a friend recently and she mentioned I was going into stealth mode, I had to clarify, not stealth. I really am not looking at anything, going on two weeks now. 

Yes, it is hard, but also kind of empowering. I like that I'm able to do it. However, I was surprised to find out this is a 40 day period, not four weeks. Six weeks. So I'm one third of the way there. 

Then there's Lent. What is the purpose of Lent? 

This is from Wikipedia: 

"There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance. The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent are prayer (justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and almsgiving (justice towards neighbour).

However, in modern times, observers give up an action of theirs considered to be a vice, add something that is considered to be able to bring them closer to God, and often give the time or money spent doing that to charitable purposes or organizations.^[27]"

Two thoughts: I hadn't considered giving the time I'd spend on FB to a charitable purpose or organization. Woah~ that would mean I'd have to count or approximate a count of the minutes/ hours. Sad and scary. 

I've been caught on FB at meetings, even, at work. That's a lot of time. Probably 1-3 hours per day if I averaged it. 

What would that charitable purpose be?  Well, I work from 3-11, so I have daytime hours available to do something somewhere. I will think about this one. Maybe the Sustainability Fair could use some help. 

Second thought: The idea of justice, where does that come from? Seems a different interpretation of the word to me. Maybe balancing the scales of sin? I guess I can see the fasting part, the almsgiving, but prayer? Does that do anything for God? How can we give justice to God? seems weird~ but like I really believe I have to believe any of this to participate? I just know I like liturgy and I believe in a higher/ fuller/ more real something.   

Sky Light

"Big sky," you say
and I am spread beneath

Word- yours
Light swallows 
all 
my shadows

Sea sounds you send
and I, quiet, listen

Face- yours
Humming words
fill
my secrets 

Nightmares once mine
You bless into sweetness

And i thank you
My new, old friend