As each of us wait, along with the horses, the great blue heron, the salmon, the wolves and the butterflies for our little portion of days to be used up, our galaxy drifts westward toward the stars of Hydra Centaurus Super cluster pulled by some unknown force. On the margins of this convoy, children and puppies and cubs are still being born. The sun and the moon still travel with us across the sky. It’s true; we do not see starlight in the malls. We do not feel the effects of interstellar wind in the afternoon stillness of our office. But we have discovered something. We have discovered forgiveness, simplicity of life, contentment, and telling the truth. These are our little achievements on this modest world on the outer rim of the Milky Way. We are not alive amid terrestrial forests and galactic super clusters to please some corporation or bank or military official. We are alive with the giant redwoods, the bald eagle, the cougar, with all the animals and plants, during a few orbits of our planet around its star, to wonder, to embrace it all with compassion, and to be happy.

On A Planet Sailing West is available for purchase ($9.99)