As the Round Earth Rolls

"This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere;

the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling;

vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn

and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn,

as the round earth rolls."

--John Muir

One daughter lives in the next time zone, and one son lives in a time zone eight or nine hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time/Pacific Standard Time. Every day I think of them and our relative places in time and space. Occasionally I miss those kids intensely and feel their absence like the pain of a phantom limb that has been severed from my body. In spite of the powerful longing to bridge the separation I relax into the comfort of our connection.

I believe in love. Scientists have studied and identified some of the chemical processes related to "falling in love" but the study of human relations is considered soft science. Thus, the greater resources --time, money, regard-- are devoted to the study of so-called "hard science". I believe in science, too.

The "hard science" physical world is a marvel and a wonder. Any of us could spend a lifetime learning about a singular topic in hard science, and many have. I love the physical world: rocks and trees and birds and oceans and elephant seals and children and stars and planets and clouds and rain and blood and brain surgery...well, blood and brain surgery make me squeamish, so I cover my eyes and ears when the ambulance rolls up to Seattle Grace Hospital (Grey's Anatomy marathon concludes in the next 24 hours), but I do appreciate medical science.

Here's my point: Science is amazing. Love is amazing. Falling in love with science is amazing. Falling in love is amazing. Grey's Anatomy is imaginary; it's a TV show. I miss my kids. And I think perhaps John Muir was a man who showed us the way to love the physical world and bridge gaps created by separation among humans.

It is always sunrise somewhere.