Lost in space

I’m often excited and intimidated in equal measure that the World spins, that my mind spins as I walk upon the Earth, and that people and their lives spin in their own little orbits. I was reading my daughter’s blog about friendship and it reminded me of something from A Level Chemistry! I was thinking about friendship and the bonds between people, family and friends. People, just like individual atoms, are minuscule in the great scheme of things and the universe. Atoms move about in space and time, randomly meeting other atoms, forming and braking bonds. Some bonds are made and last an eternity, whilst others are fleeting. Some bonds, formed between atoms fraternising in their shared space or environment, form for a time (creating a compound…a new existence, that looks, moves, shakes, and behaves in its own unique way….made up of a group of individuals, randomly but necessarily brought together). A little heat within the group may cause a temporary breaking of the bonds and sometimes, when the heat is too much or a new element joins the group, the effect is catastrophic…..the bonds break irreversibly. In the minuscule life of an atom (with no feelings!) it drifts off, none the wiser, until it forms new bonds elsewhere in a new, happy existence. Atoms don’t fade and die, or get left by the wayside….their existence is simply to ‘be’…..to meet other atoms, form new friendship groups (compounds!) and have substance, purpose, and to contribute to the World and to the universe.

Just like atoms, our lives intertwine with the lives of those around us. Some encounters are simple, some complicated….some good, and some less productive. Whatever we do in life has an effect on others, just as others affect us. Sometimes a little heat does us good, it gives us an opportunity for change. Simply to ‘be’, to ‘do’, to be part of what goes on around us, is to be making our way in the world…..we all do it differently, so there is no right or wrong way really. The main thing is, not to be afraid of conflict or change….maybe the place we thought we felt safe, comfortable, and secure, isn’t where we’re meant to be!