Finding each other in the cosmos

 

I really loved what Ann Druyan said when talking about her husband, Carl Sagan.

“When my husband died, because he was so famous & known for not being a believer, many people would come up to me — it still sometimes happens — & ask me if Carl changed at the end & converted to a belief in an afterlife. They also frequently ask me if I think I will see him again.

Carl faced his death with unflagging courage & never sought refuge in illusions. The tragedy was that we knew we would never see each other again. I don’t ever expect to be reunited with Carl. But, the great thing is that when we were together, for nearly twenty years, we lived with a vivid appreciation of how brief & precious life is. We never trivialized the meaning of death by pretending it was anything other than a final parting. Every single moment that we were alive & we were together was miraculous — not miraculous in the sense of inexplicable or supernatural. We knew we were beneficiaries of chance… That pure chance could be so generous & so kind… That we could find each other, as Carl wrote so beautifully in Cosmos, you know, in the vastness of space & the immensity of time… That we could be together for twenty years. That is something which sustains me & it’s much more meaningful…

The way he treated me & the way I treated him, the way we took care of each other & our family, while he lived. That is so much more important than the idea I will see him someday. I don’t think I’ll ever see Carl again. But I saw him. We saw each other. We found each other in the cosmos, and that was wonderful.”

It resonates with me so completely and is how Peter and I feel about each other. We were beneficiaries of chance. A wonderful and kind bit of chance.

Yet another reminder to drink up this rich life and be grateful for the really amazing things in your life. Big and small.

4 comments:

Associate Girl | October 15, 2010 at 7:13 AM

Thank you! I love that passage for so many reasons. I found Kevin by chance, for sure. He's from Ermo South Carolina for goodness sake. What is also crazy is that before we met we were in so many of the same places - Austin, Vienna, Dallas, California. We finally met here.

little irish | October 15, 2010 at 10:22 AM

Love, love, love this Emily!!! Finally what I believe, and could never articulate, is in writing. Prfound and beautiful!

Amy | October 16, 2010 at 5:16 AM

Gorgeous. Just like you.
Miss you! xoxox

Kara | October 23, 2010 at 11:51 AM

I really love this and can't wait to share it with my very special Melissa. xo