Pluto Has Been Waiting Patiently To Say, “Pluto (Hearts) Earth!”
What is waiting for you?
July 14, 2015 will always be a date in the history of NASA and an important date for astronomers and all of us who are interested in the cosmos. New Horizons, the NASA space probe, planned since 1990 and launched in 2006, flew by Pluto, the small planet, one sixth the size of earth and smaller than our moon, and took a photo for us. As it turns out, Pluto has a heart-shape on the visible side (although some heartless people have said it looks like a cosmic giant sat down and left an imprint). I prefer the heart image, because it can seem that Pluto has been waiting four and half billion years to say, “Hi, Earth! I love you!” (Probably followed by a muttered, “Now, go away and don’t mess me up, too.”)
Here is what I like about all of it: We didn’t just now discover Pluto and it wasn’t recently formed, it has been there all this time. We didn’t expect to “get something” from it, we just wanted to say we have seen it and we know it better than before. The motivation to explore Pluto from above was primarily because most humans are gifted with a desire to keep searching for new horizons–in our solar system and in our lives and spirits.
What is waiting for you? The test of optimism and courage for many of us is to have faith that no matter what our age or our past experiences, something good is patiently waiting for us–and it may have been there all along. (However, you’ll notice that Pluto didn’t come to us, we went to Pluto. Life is like that.)
Ohhhhhhh Tina, I love this! What a great thought!
Thanks! Mike and I heart you too. D.
Comment by Denise R. | July 15, 2015
Good to see you writing again. As an old geezer who thinks most things are done, I do still sometimes hope something good is waiting. I’ll let you know. J.
Comment by Not A Donut Fan | July 15, 2015
Good thoughts….and what Denise said is true. You’ve been an inspiration to us and have kept us going through some tough times and we appreciate it.
Comment by MIke | July 15, 2015
I heard some people say they thought the flight to Pluto was a waste of money and I told them I’ll bet someone said that about Columbus. This was a lovely way to write about it. You must have a poetic nature!
Comment by Jen G. | July 15, 2015
Well, Miss Smarty Pants, do you know why the Walt Disney Pluto was named Pluto?
Because his first cartoon was in 1930, the year the planet Pluto was discovered. Bet you didn’t know it!
Comment by Wiseacre | July 15, 2015
No, I didn’t know the year, but yes I knew about the connection. Thanks, Professor! T.
Comment by TLR | July 15, 2015
Ms. Rowe, it’s hard to have faith when nothing good ever does happen. I’ve spent most of my life hoping the big surprises people write about would happen to me but it never has. Some of it is probably my fault but I don’t know what I could have done any different except not stay in the state I’m living in, but my family was here and now it would be almost impossible to leave a job four years before retirement. I hope when I retire I will find something interesting to do or just something besides work to do.
I don’t want a lot of money, but I would like to have some extra. I’ve been saving for the last three years and hope to have a good amount by the time I retire to add to my retirement income. Mostly I would like to have some friends and family to do things with and I would like for people to want to come to my house. People who have friends and family don’t realize how boring it is to never get a phone call or never have anyone to go someplace with. I’m not what you’d call depressed about any of it, but I can’t get as upbeat as you are. My massage therapist tells me I need to increase my energy flow. I do feel better when I am exercising and walking.
Well, I don’t know why I wrote such a long comment! But I did enjoy reading about Pluto and I like the other things you write. I’ve read all of the articles but I don’t mind reading them again, so I read something almost every day. I would like to see you write something about how to improve social skills or how to talk to people easily. I would also like to have you include something about things you enjoy doing. Thanks for listening!
Comment by KMP | July 21, 2015
Tina says: Thank YOU, KMP, for writing such a personal comment and for being a regular reader. I’m sending you an email with some thoughts about what you said. I’m also beaming positive thoughts and energy your way, so maybe your massage therapist will notice! Best wishes to you. T.
Comment by TLR | July 21, 2015