January | HORIZON OF CHANGE
Method to the Madness: Nature’s Anomalies
By Tricia Stewart Shiu
Method to the Madness: Nature’s Anomalies – Read by Tricia Stewart Shiu
It is a part of human nature to find logic and meaning in our lives. Patterns and even pigeon-holing are common to our thought processes.
Then, there are those experiences that defy logic. Like the events of the last year. Although we may have different beliefs and explanations about why and how the events unfolded and the outcomes that followed, there is one unifying truth: something irreversible has happened. There is no going back to anything resembling last year’s definition of normal.
We stand stunned, on the precipice of a new year, unsteady in anything we once believed or understood as true.
Now what?
ARTISTIC ALLEGORY | LE MOT JUSTE
What is next on this oddly familiar, yet strangely undefinable journey?…
…Some things remain the same. The sun rises every morning and sets every evening. Other than that, the landscape and the people upon whom the sun rises, are changing more and more with each passing day. The answers can be elusive and the questions, numerous.
Quantum physics answer some burning queries, but not all. Religion has, yet another frame to place upon uncertain times. Perhaps, more esoteric methods can be used like psychics or mediums. Everyone is searching for something solid, anything logical on which to base their next theory.
Therein, lies the interpretation of our own understanding.
Sometimes, our “go-to” oracles are spot on, but other times, not so much, and when all seems like it might be gobbled up by a barrage of questions like: “what’s next” or “what if,” the best course of action is to look at “what is.” By doing so, we can gain a much needed moment of rest to gather our equilibrium.
In other words, it might be appropriate to gain some distance, from our perspective. Treat it all as a grand experiment and look at our lives, in a broad, general sense.
In an experiment, getting a “baseline” measurement, upon which we can compare and contrast all other observations is important. Then, afterward noticing the unusual, the inconsistent, and the “stand out” effects or anomalies, can offer insight into a question or course of action (if there is any to be taken.)
A recent article in Bright Side called, 9 Anomalies Proving That Nature Can Beat Anyone — Just Look at Its Power says, “…nature has a lot of other tricks up its sleeve like lakes that disappear overnight, raining fish and other amazing things that are so scary and impressive, people often try to provide explanations for them that are far from correct.”
Some even believe our entire planet is one big anomaly, Trevor Nace, Senior Science Contributor at Forbes, backs this summation up with several worthy examples, one of which is that “Earth is the only planet known to sustain liquid water, which covers 71% of the world’s surface. Liquid water is essential to life as we know it and is believed to be the key prerequisite to finding life on other planets.”
Anomalies are not random. If they are viewed from a perspective of wonder and awe, these irregularities can create a sense of hope and encouragement.
Rudyard Kipling, the poet, summed up managing the madness of life by saying, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you…” In short, our circumstances do not define us, however, our response to those events does.
The next time an earth-shattering news event floods your feed, remember the consistently inconsistent occurrence of nature’s anomalies. There could just be a method to the madness, even if it is not.
