Thoughts of this world, another world, news in a larger sense, ordinary, extraordinary, and personal news, perhaps strictly personal, in which we find ourselves interconnected, if we allow such connections:
•It is out of this world, or, it will be April 8 when in our four-county area we will see a partial eclipse. There will be a full eclipse in southern Illinois. It is amazing that we can understand and predict the Sun’s orbit precisely and it meets expectations. Science and understanding in a sense become building blocks. The earlier scientists set the stage and later scientists refined the understanding. Scientists who have helped us understand our world include Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, and Johannes Kepler, the latter from Germany. Kepler receives most of the credit for our understanding of our Sun. He lived 1571 to 1630. He studied the positions of planets carefully and determined three laws of planetary motion that firmly put the Sun in the center of the Solar System with the planets orbiting the Sun. Until Kepler’s understanding scientists and sociologists wanted to put the Earth as the center of the universe. We know better. Science has led the way in discovery, however, social order has lagged behind and must catch up. They are connected.
•How does one measure it? Measure the relationship of two human beings? When Donna Crane died March 23 the mortal marriage with this person was severed 15 days short of 51 years. In my heart the connection continues and it will last. When the connection is good, the end always arrives too soon. Memories will include a view of her eyes, her sparkling smile, the spoken words between us, and, yes, the unspoken words. The understanding. The memories. The legacy. Her kindness. Her strength of character. Her intelligence. Her humor. Her sense of family. Her goodness. Her love. She helped to steer me into becoming a better person. Her compassion. Her independence. Her love of her four sons. Her desire that families can make an effort to get along and can succeed in getting along with each other. We always will be a part of each other. It is that one of us has a human body to continue its breathing and can remember. Thank you, Donna!