The Response

The Response...

   It seemed ironic that as the September 8th (2014) issue of Time arrived, the opening pages mentioned that by 2040 astronomers will have searched nearly 10 million stars for alien signals.  They then added, "Experts say a new space civilization is born every year."  Our own rather small galaxy has an estimated 100 BILLION star systems "that might support life...estimates of the number of active alien civilizations range from 10,000 to 1 million."  So ARE we being passed by?  And if so, why?

   I bring this up because among the responses to my "chance to explore the universe" question, my brother said why not turn the question around and say to alien, "Why don't YOU stay and I'll show you earth?"  So jumping to part 2:  if the alien accepted your offer, what exactly would you show it?  Would you shoot for specifics such as a kiss or a painting?  Or would you attempt to show it broader subjects such as cooperation or love (or war)?  Would you explain the spark of imagination, the colors of fall or the freedom of a soaring bird?  Would you show first the large or the small, the beautiful or the ugly?  And would you do all this by taking a walk or going for a drive?  And how far?...your house, your city, your country, your memories?

   And if your list of items to show were again limited to 5 items, what would they be?  Would they be the same 5 items YOU would have taken with you had you toured the alien's universe?  And if not, where would the Grand Canyon or a child's tear fit in?  How you would show it the thrill of a first love or the miracle and fragility of life itself?  Or would it be simply material things, things you would grab if your house were burning down...a treasured book or photo, a soon-to-be dated computer that "holds" your life?

   It's difficult, isn't it?  Haunted by John Lennon's line, "imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can,"  it is interesting to look at what we feel is important to us, at least at the present.  Perhaps only when clinging to our last few breaths will we come to enlightenment and we will discover that which really matters...that last hand gripping yours, that last smile, that last surge of love saying goodbye and yet welcome to a new part of your journey.

   It is always interesting to look a bit closer at our boundaries, real or imagined.  For no matter how much you would show the alien, there would always be more.  Beyond the town you know there would be another town you'd know little about.  And so beyond your mind --your world-- would be yet another.  At that point, discovery would become mutual and the real showing would begin.  Looking into ourselves, it is much the same, especially now...the potential discoveries are endless.  And fortunately, we don't need an alien visiting --that person you've just met, that teenager driving you nuts, that newborn wiggling his arms, that stray dog trying to tell you something,  that homeless person trying to tell you the same thing-- they are all waiting, waiting, waiting, ready to show you an entire new world, a world as alien as the universe above.

   And in that moment, seeing that it is all right there in front of you, that discovery would probably make both you and the alien smile...for you would have both shown each other everything.