Signs of life

How do scientists look for life in other worlds? One of the most basic dilemmas is this- that we only know one way of defining carbon-based life. Beyond this, neither do we know what we are looking for, nor how we'd identify whatever interesting 'stuff' we picked up. And still there are enough of them, with telescopes aimed and microscopes at the ready, searching constantly, endlessly, through eons of space-time, for a sign. Just one sign.

On earth as in heaven, there are enough of us who do the same. We look to the stars and the great beyond for signs.

Under the guise of science and research, religion and tradition, the impulses that move us are the same- A basic human need for knowledge, and security in knowing. And so we sift through signs, from earth and star and instinct, asking as we examine each one- Is this it ? Is this a sign of life, a sign from God, a sign marking my place in the universe?

Circling back to the dilemma, we hold these things, not knowing if they are what we were looking for, nor knowing what the objects of our seeking look like. We pick our symbols, marking the end of our own personal quests, the end of our territories and desire to know. This much is enough, we say.

This little understanding, this greater world-view. This knowledge that stars are great spheres of fire, this faith that the fire in them shapes my destiny.

We pick our symbols, objects of power to us. A cross, a sacred thread, a pair of bangles marking a married woman. A totem pole, a ritual mask. Each of picks our objects, and we hold them and say- This much, and no more. This understanding is enough, this object powerful enough. Enough sustenance to live by, until the flame of life dies.

For myself, I hold them all. I hold lamps to be lit at night and sacred threads, meditations by the sea and insights from starlit forest nights. I cast them all back to the skies and ask still - Is this it? Is this all the understanding there is?

Things I wish I remembered

List # 2.

There are plenty of messages we throw out in time-capsule bottles, along the lines of "Things I wish I knew when I was younger". Now, I realize there are things I knew back then which made me a lot happier than some of the things I do now.

1. Sensitivity comes from moving out of oneself. Not by wallowing in self-pity or self-analysis.

2. It is okay to have and voice an opinion. There are only so many shades of grey. At the ends of the spectrum, call the colors black and white. Just like you see them.

3. Conflict keeps life on its toes. A good fight is an enriching experience.

Places I never meant to be

One of the golden rules of writing I read a while ago was to avoid the "noun as story idea" trap. I'd often find myself coming up with these ideas, for stories/ articles on 'Memory' or 'Taste', and wander around with this grand notion like a teenager writing poems on 'Love' and 'Heartbreak'.

This idea of lists (blatantly copied from a fictitious blog by a fictitious writer with writer's block), and this particular title (unrelated to the blog or writer) caught my eye. It's the name of a book I've never read, but would probably like.

Considering the amount of time I spend berating people around me for speaking and acting mindlessly, its a little humbling (to say the least) to realize how many times in life I've found myself in places I never planned to be in.

1. In the kitchen. Nowhere in the grand life plan that involved me being the celebrated writer at age 25 did this feature- That I would one day find myself perfectly content to be cooking recipes my grandmother once made, spending hours glazing a cake, or just creating dinner with whatever is in the fridge. Or (the horror of it !!) finding myself righteously shocked that a 24 year old girl didn't know how to fend for herself, food-wise.

2. The back of a police car. Yes, I realize even criminals don't really plan on being there..and maybe I shouldn't include this on a list of places I 'meant to be'. But it was interesting to find that even after a car crash and a loved one getting out of a really close shave, we sat there and joked about the weather as the cop dropped us off at the car dealership.

3. The gym. Me. The gym. Lifting weights. Running. Not a long walk as I chat with a friend, but running. And getting annoyed with girls who strut along at 3 miles an hour, chattering away and claiming to be 'running'. Ha. Beyond fat or fit, strong or fast, empowering or falling into cliches.. its just so much fun!