We’ve all been there. I was offended. Something that was done to me left me feeling hurt and frustrated. The way I was treated felt profoundly wrong, yet I found myself at a loss for what to do about it. My thoughts and emotions were consumed by the incident, and I couldn’t see past it. Ever been there?
A new perspective in New Zealand
A year ago, I had the opportunity to visit New Zealand and gaze at the night sky in the southern hemisphere. The experience was mesmerizing. The constellations were entirely different from those seen in the northern hemisphere, and even familiar Orion appeared upside down. The night sky felt like a new world, vast and mysterious.
Our guide that night wanted us to grasp our place in the universe. He shared that it would take 14 days to drive around earth at 14 km/hour (8.6 mph). However, to reach the sun at the same speed would take a staggering 1.5 million years. Grasping our place on the planet, then the solar system and ultimately in the Milky Way reminds me of my right size.
Often, I find myself magnifying my problems and my circumstances, allowing an offense to become all about me and larger than life. Getting a gentle nudge to remember I’m on a planet so far away from the sun is a reminder to step back and breathe, to not view my world in such microscopic terms. I am empowered to see the situation in a broader context.
Stargazing for clarity
When life feels overwhelming or the world seems off balance, I find solace in the night sky. Driving away from the city lights, I take some time gazing upward. I take a deep breath and find the Big Dipper, letting my eyes adjust to the vast count of twinkling stars. I make a wish on a shooting star and remind myself of my place in the universe: significant, yes, but right sized.
This practice of stargazing has become a form of meditation for me. It offers a gentle nudge to step back and see a bigger picture. The vastness of the universe and the beauty of the night sky remind me that while my feelings are valid, they are a small part of a much larger reality. This perspective helps me find peace and balance. It encourages me to let go of the small stuff, and remember like my dad used to say, “It’s all small stuff.”