Look Down From Space

It was a surreal night to say the least. The four of us, two former astronauts, an Air Force Major General and I sat on the front porch sipping single malt scotch and Jeremiah Weed while a huge air force jet was making touch-and-go’s a hundred yards away.  

When in the company of astronauts, the conversation, undoubtedly, turns to space travel. It is an experience so few people in the world have ever had or will ever have the opportunity to try, so the curiosity of the two non-astronauts at the table was bubbling.  It was the two-star general who asked the question that we both needed to know the answer to: “did going to space change you?”

The first astronaut answered.  “It didn’t change me,” he said, “but it reinforced many of the values I already held.” The second astronaut had been on more missions and spent more time in space than her colleague.  “Yes,” she said, “it profoundly changed me. If you didn’t go up a pacifist, odds are pretty good you came back as one.”

This is a common theme among those who have ever had the opportunity to look back at our planet from so far away. Looking down at our little blue world, free from all the noise and hubbub, they can’t help but think: why can’t we all just get along.

This perspective is not unique to astronauts.  We all have the ability to understand more when we step back to look at a situation with a wide-angle lens.  Especially at times when we can see no alternative than to respond with anger, wage “war” with our competition or even just feel like we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.  In these moments, we need to stop and pretend we are looking at the situation from space.

I remember not getting accepted to an organization I really wanted to join.  I was convinced on my second try I would make it.  But I didn’t.  I felt like I wasn’t worthy.  Then I stopped.  I pulled back.  Would it really have an impact on my life being a part of their organization versus not – sure, some. I would have had the opportunity to do some pretty cool stuff…but it probably won’t limit anything I can do in the future. Then I pulled back even further - I certainly wouldn't lie on my death bed and think my life would have been so much better if I had made it in. In the grand scheme of my life and career, did it really matter?  The answer…not surprisingly…was no.  The best part is, there was another opportunity that I saw only when I was looking down from a high altitude that, when close-in and obsessed with the first thing, I couldn’t see.

Pulling back, physically and philosophically, is an amazing practice. We see things we can never see when in the middle of it.  We see solutions, we see opportunities, we become more realistic and pragmatic and less reactive and reactionary and, best of all, we find calm.

It’s a shame we can’t all go to space to come back with that new perspective...but we can pretend.

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Comments

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Yes, this is an amazing point of view that always turns the biggest problems in life into less tiny little and less dramatic ones. And I say this from my own expierience.

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[Leif]

This is a great perspective written here. Heck, when I fly commercial I think like this pacifist astronaunt.

Widening back is a powerful tool. Furthermore, the key is that when we want to get into 'that organization', if we do great and if we don't great. The outcome is perfect and on purpose.

[Tyrone Afable]

I think its such an amazing experience just to even witness images like this. I am a student of the future. Being held down by many forces and battling back as a Pisces takes me into a dimension of space itself. Will we descend into
outer space??? I feel as if I'm carrying way too much energy , blind to where it should be directed. So give me Space,truth, and love

[Laurie Hathorn]

It's been said "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change". Leaving the earth would have a profound impact on earth's perspective and our role in it.

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[Rodney]

Change your perspective and you change your world. Excellent post!

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[Peter Tanham]

We may not all have access to spaceflight, but we do have the poetry of Carl Sagan to give us this same perspective:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnFMrNdj1yY

[Daniel Suh]

I always reflect back to this video in stressed times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BjHvwSvpOw

[Juan Felix]

It may be a coincidence but recently I visualize myself floating in space and looking at the earth and feeling, or even experiencing how precious this planet is and that we all need to change. If you like you can read my post that is related to this.

[Larry Hehn]

Thanks for the perspective, Simon!

[Alexi T]

"Why can't we just all get along?" A comment used by my dad over and over growing up. I watch Stephen Hawkings "into the universe" series and whenever I watch them I get so overwhelmed by how amazing our universe is that I think the same thing. If we put our energy into finding out all of the spectacular things we can do we would be so much further along and probably wouldn't have destroyed the planet with violence and chemicals as much as we have.

[TheGood]

Yes, this is an amazing point of view that always turns the biggest problems in life into less tiny little and less dramatic ones. And I say this from my own expierience.

Thank you for reminding me!