Is there anyone who doesn’t have problems to face? Challenges to overcome? As a species don’t we face incredible difficulties in living together peacefully? Managing resources responsibly?
Sometimes I get despondent because the road ahead seems too long, the mountain too steep or the burden too heavy to carry.
At those times, I take a small step back and try to get some distance from this moment or this period of my life.
I consider the scale of the world I live in, the immensity of the solar system and I put my life in comparison to the span of mankind’s existence in this small section of the universe.
For those moments of deep despair, I need to step far back, above everything I can comprehend, in order to get perspective.
And when I can connect with the idea that I’m a mere speck of dust, a tiny, tiny creature sitting on a small rock in the distant reaches of an average sized galaxy – I feel the humility rising. The problems are still there.
But from this vantage point I can sometimes feel like I’m standing on the shoulders of giants.
What do you do to bring a sense of proportion back into your life?
Similar Posts:
- Lament for my world
- Mind your own business
- Do we REALLY see people
- The invisible path
- Doomed to be violently entertained
- But I’m not violent …
Wow, that’s a really effective way of making your point. I like how you aren’t screaming the morale of this story, you believe that your readers are smart enough to know what you’re talking about.
I don’t know that I have an effective way of putting proportion in my life. I tend to make a bigger deal out of things than I should. I do enjoy your method though.
Great visuals, Ian. A wonderful way of putting things in perspective. I often imagine my size relative to the universe, by which it means the stars I can see on a clear night. That is enough to strike a chord in me. Love the information on star and planet names in your images.
TREY – Thanks for the comment! Especially as I really do think it’s important to respect the intelligence of everyone who might be reading this. I do get rather frustrated with those blogs that treat me like an idiot!
DAPHNE – Living in the city I don’t get to see the stars too much. They’ve always held a real fascination for me since I was a kid … just the sheer majesty and scale of the sky. Kind of takes my breathe away when I do find a clear night away from the city lights.
I love this visual, too, Ian! It does remind me, very much, that as big as my problems may seem – they are really nothing. And really – that’s pretty right on – they are indeed nothing like I might make them out to be. I think of other countries where people aren’t nearly as well off as I am – whose problems are those of hunger, safety, life and death. And those problems make mine seem miniscule – and bring me back to a place of seeing my “problems” for the size they should be – very small…
Lance, I am glad you make the point about comparing your situation to other “poor” countries.
I have realized something similar to myself, sure I complain that my parents don’t know how to manage money but they have seemed to keep a roof over my head, yet I am still not successful.
I mean I heart stories of entrepreneurs that have lived on the street and then turned and made millions and that right there makes me think, what the hell am I complaining about?
Ian,
Awesomely written article! Sounds like poetry to me, seriously. These pictures really put things in perspective, and help remind us of our place in the universe.
While we are the center of OUR own universe, the reality of our situation is that we are, like you said, mere specks of dust in the grand scheme of things.
Thanks for this post. Sorry I’ve been MIA for a while, I’ve hit a new level of consciousness and I’m getting acclimated with it right now. Will stay in touch though, keep up the great work!
I love the way you have used images to demonstrate this post, and I am glad you have found it helpful to get perspective. I’ve only just stumbled upon your site, and have fallen in love with the concept. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Lola
This seems like a very effective technique for putting things in perspective. I don’t really have anything that I do, but I think I am going to try this.
That’s a powerful reflection Ian. I think we have an internal clock that is best calibrated by nature. My favorite re-calibration is to go deep into the woods and sit, with a tree at my back. Then I imagine my connection and the grounding happens.
LANCE – it’s kind of hard. Comparing problems to those of others then I’m often (almost always) going to come out as a very fortunate! The problems are still there but I get some kind of perspective.
Then I start feeling the problems of the world on my shoulders. I want to fix them (even if I know I can’t)! Taking those big, big steps back to get perspective brings some ground back and I can get on with it rather than wailing about it. Thanks for your thoughts, Lance. Always appreciated.
TOM – don’t get me started on parents!
RAHUL – missed you, my friend! Always a pleasure to see you. You’re right .. it’s hard at times to balance being centre of the universe and at the same time a speck of dust.
LOLA SNOW – Great to see you here. And thanks for the comment. Off to check your site now!
VERED – good luck with this. I’d be curious to hear how it works for you.
TOM – sounds a superb way to get reconnected with yourself. Trees have a very powerful grounding effect on me too.
This was an awesome post. I’ve never thought about things like that before. Looks like next time I get wrapped up in my problems, I’ll be coming back here.
Deep breathing, for some reason, always gets me back in touch.
Great visual way to make your point, I wish I’d thought of it. When you look at it like that even considering yourself a speck of dust is probably overstating your significance!
I tend to think about people who are really suffering. Those who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, or whether they’re going to be bombed tonight. That makes my petty little day to day problems seem embarrassingly pathetic.
KIM – always welcome! Whenever you need a break.
HAYDEN – works for me too .. though more at moments of immediate tension or stress. I’m trying to get in the habit of daily meditation, but can’t quite seem to get the habit settled.
JULIAN – Welcome and good to see you here. There’s a lot of people out there living in really terrible conditions. They could do with this kind of remembering often.
I put things in perspective by thinking about how much I still have compared to most people in the world or even my grandparents. I think if we are able to meet our basic needs – food, clothing, and shelter – that we need to step back and think about how many people are unable to do even that.
KIM – sad to say, but there always appears to be masses of people who live in fear for their lives from starvation, war, lack of shelter. I think your approach serves two purposes .. to get some perspective and also to remind the world that there’s plenty of work still to be done!
Thanks for the comment.
[...] In a day and age when people are so eager to write, I would like to see this enthusiasm and energy used in a way to be innovative and cutting edge. The concept of using cartoons to supplement your writing is an idea that has not been utilized as well as it should be. So often, bloggers and internet writers treat any pictures they will use as an afterthought. This isn’t necessary, because pictures can be used to express things that words fail to do so. Just look at this article! [...]