Humility coalesces our understanding of the universe’s mysteries. Only when we are mindful and humble can we begin to grasp to some degree the enormity and complexities of the cosmos. Our assumptions are put into perspective with the aid of, say, the James Webb telescope, an engineering marvel that peers through millions of light-year distances. We can see the stars and planets, but not the force that keeps them apart or the power that shapes them in the galaxies. Our perception seems tiniest! What we think or assume is significant—arrogance—falls apart quickly compared to what is invisible and how immense the universe is! As if there is no end. What we fail to notice is far more significant than what we can.
We are misled when we see the matter and want to know what it really is by zooming into it many thousandfold. We end up tracing the paths electrons have traveled since inception. What we encounter is only a dance of possibilities. There are a few definite answers to our inquiries in that realm. If we nail down the location of an electron, then we cannot know how fast it is moving—and it is constantly shifting. We cannot precisely predict where it will be if we focus on measuring its momentum. So, we are blessed to have calculated the most probable outcome—not definitive answers to all our inquiries in that world! We inhabit the same world, but it obeys different rules. Isn’t that ironic? If we become resolute and continue, everything merges and becomes energy; the world-famous Einstein’s equation smirks at us and says, “I told you so.” The closer we look at anything, the more it disappears. Even monstrosities can become mundane if we stand too close for too long. It numbs our senses and blinds our perceptions.
The more light there is, the less we see. We cannot perceive the beauty of the stars and planets during the day as we are drowned in sunlight. Yet, we cannot see the light itself. It requires the presence of a neighborhood and residents—surfaces to bounce off—for us to detect its existence. This principle is evident in all our space-related videos and pictures where darkness prevails. The punctuated space between celestial objects appears as a dark void in our eyes. It is simply a red herring. The light from its source bolts at an incredible speed and then illuminates to declare its own, as does anything that opposes. The things we cannot see are often the things we struggle to understand. In one way, we are like born blind, walking through dark space to make any sense of our steps.
What could be more prudent when time slips away as we breathe? One option: open our hearts to mere possibilities. We can then be at peace without guilt and understand that alternatives largely govern the universe. The most critical yet invisible thing is what we don’t know about ourselves and our environment, starting from the small area right below our big toe. Embracing uncertainty, not as a burden but as fuel for our curiosity, opens the door to exploration without bias. The potential for options becomes a solace, a reason to delve into the unknown. The things we don’t know drive us to seek answers and better understand the world.
Note:
Kanōsei is Japanese for possibility. Pronunciation: Ca-Know-Say.