We observed Earth Hour today. As i stood outside in dark with my two year old comfortably hugging me with her arms wrapped around me, i told her about the Earth, stars, moon, galaxy etc. I told her how stars twinkle and planets don’t. How to distinguish between stars and planets in the sky. I told her why I had switched off all the lights in the house, what is global warming and how like all of us, even the Earth needs some me-time.
Of course she wouldn’t remember any of it. But, when I do this with her every year, when i tell her about the mysteries of the universe, when I create a tradition of respecting the Earth in my house, she would hopefully grow up to be an aware and sensitive person.
Some day, say 3-4 years from now, I would buy her a telescope and we would spend nights outside looking at the stars and understanding the universe.
In my opinion, once you wittingly or unwittingly place yourself in the bigger picture i.e. the universe, you automatically become humble and gain a sane perspective. You realise you aren’t in the centre of it. The sheer magnanimity of the space of which we have no clue what it holds, is enough to baffle a person, jerking them back to reality which is a world that is beyond Gods, religions and superstitions.
For today, I enjoyed telling my daughter about the universe and gave her a taste of this magic.
bohemian 