On this particular trip, following a spectacular autumn photo shoot at dawn, I was somewhere near Great Sand Dunes National Monument when struck anew by the words of cosmologist Brian Swimme. He spoke passionately about exploding supernovas, black holes, violent asteroid collisions and entire galaxies hurdling through space toward each other on an inevitable course toward an interstellar dance of destruction.
My attention was sparked deeper still as he paused to reflect on the poignance behind the chaos. It turns out that each of us are comprised of certain elements which are produced ONLY in the most fiery explosions of giant supernovas. We thus are, quite literally, made of stardust. On top of this gift of elemental life birthed solely through the most destructive of universal events, Mr. Swimme suggests that there is a more poetic gift in all of this destruction as well: the gift of pressure. A positive pressure... the pressure to LIVE, to love, to observe, to experience. A pressure to appreciate what it is to be human at this moment in time.
So... why am I talking about this in a photography blog? Partly it's an attempt to find perspective and hope amongst the backdrop of recent events in our more immediate universe. Maybe I just wanted to use the phrase "interstellar dance" in a post announcing my NEW WEBSITE. Either way, if you happen to find resonance in Swimme's perspective, I hope it inspires you as it has for me!
With a renewed vigor for grabbing each precious day and living it to its fullest, here's to each of us remembering -- today and every day -- to make it count!
Carpe Diem.
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