I enjoy and appreciate modern technology but it has its limits.
Consider the proliferation of apps that have turned the ancient act of gazing up into the stars into a dry schoolroom lesson.
To be sure, it is a powerful thing to be able to instantly identify planets, stars and constellations.
In our pursuit of knowledge, however, I can’t help but feel we are missing something.
In the past, when we stared up into the dark skies we were forced to contemplate our humble place in the universe and, in a broader sense, we were perhaps reminded of how little we actually knew about the greater universe.
Today, I fear many of us–because we now know the names of the stars and planets–delude ourselves into thinking that we know more about our place in the universe than we do.
My advice: Put down the smartphone occasionally and return to the ancient act of star-gazing. It may just humble you enough to admit that there is more to our universe than we will ever know.
And, hidden within this admission of ignorance, lies a tiny but bright dose of wisdom.
Interested in other “gazing”-related posts? Check out these past posts:
