The things we count on.
We often take them for granted, thinking they will happen, no matter what. Most of the time, they do.
But every so often, there is a dip in the road, and the whole cart spills over.
I just read an article this morning stating that there is about a 1% chance of Earth colliding with another planet in our solar system. Well. This about knocked me off my chair.
I mean, I thought the orbits were a sure bet. I look forward to my orbits every morning, by golly. And there’s a chance this could come undone?
When I read further, I found this is, in fact, the truth. Dumb old Mercury is the problem. Always the little guy starting the trouble at a party. Scientifically, it has a slight elongation in its orbit, Mercury does. It may increase to the point where its path might cross over into Venus’ way.
Then it would be like holy heck — like when balls hit one another on a pool table. Kapow. Mercury would be ejected from the solar system with a big Boing-O sound. Or it might hit the sun or Earth. Either way, things will be a wreck. No pun intended.
But take a breath. This won’t happen for another billion years. Earth will be dead by that time anyway, save for a few giant cockroaches and some leftover Twinkies.
Anyway, taking things for granted probably isn’t a good idea. We’re really reminded of this when we get a tiny paper cut or a small burn on a primary finger. Something so small can really set things out of whack.
If I can remind myself each day, I try to say a bunch of thank you’s. I thank the toaster for warming the bread. Same thing goes to the refrigerator for keeping my Old English cheese spread so nice and cold. In the mornings, I thank my dogs just for being them. I curtsy to the trees for all the goodness they give, oxygen included. I take a deep breath of that air and give thanks again for the fact that I can breathe.
We could spend all day thanking everything. But, spending a little time with it reminds me just how fortunate I am to be here. It helps to keep my orbit spinning in the right direction when Mercury might be out of turn.
Gratitude reminds us of the good things around us. All of them. And seeing all this good can give us little moments of joy.
Thank you, paved sidewalk, for holding up my feet as I walk along my path. Because even concrete sidewalks have been known to fail. And planets do collide.
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“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green Earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
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“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
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“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero
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Mercury might crash into earth. Thanks.
