Second Thoughts – The Trappists (Planets not Monks)

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

This week NASA and nearly everyone else in the astronomical community celebrated the possibly that we have found three earth-like planets in the same solar system.  These are known as the Trappist planets.  The story can be viewed at the NASA site and there is an excellent analysis at The Telegraph. 

I would love to see them.  I would find great joy in exploring the stars to “seek out new life; new civilizations.”   I want these to be part of our adventure.  I desire for the cosmos to be teeming with life sentient and otherwise.  I want a Roddenberry utopia.

My fear is that we are not ready for this.  We still kill each other for resources and power.   We still put saving a nickel on a gallon of gas ahead of saving the lives of starving children.  Our species is still petulantly adolescent.  Our lives are still bound to this world too much for us to be ready for another one.

Yet, that is where we are headed.  There is so much undiscovered country.  There are so many vistas to travel.  We can be better.  We can take better care of each other.  I happen to think we cannot do it on our own but you know that about me.  We could, however, choose to unite and work toward a better planet, civilization, and species.

If we are going to make it to the Trappists, Mars, or anywhere that matters we need to do it together.  Getting there is not as hard as we make it.  We need to be much more “Temba, his arms wide” than we are.  Instead we are much too” Zinda - his face black, his eyes red.”  I celebrate these new worlds and hope we are much more Picard than Columbus.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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