There is at least one exceptional thing about very cold nights after a winter storm. The clouds move on – the stars appear so close you could touch them and the tiny lights are so clear and bright that the sky glows. The phenomenon may seem more magical and overwhelming around Xmas. Although, we saw a similar sky in Hawaii last month. I do attribute the Shimmering to the minus 3 temperature experienced this week – no shimmering in Maui. No, I am not confusing shivering with that other condition I am trying to describe. What is the point? As we each try to understand what happened last year in our country, the world and our lives, it is humbling to look into the heavens and realize how much we do not comprehend. Joy to the world seems a bit ambitious so I have concluded I will keep trying to make a positive difference in my little corner of the Universe.
I have been reading about “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats” or CRISPR. I found the recent Time magazine article fascinating and suggest you do your own review. In breakthrough work on DNA it is now possible to direct a CRISPR protein, trained to search for specific mutated sequences in the human DNA code which includes over 3 billion unique letters. Once identified “CRISPR unzips the twisted DNA strands breaking them to cut out the targeted sequence with its molecular scissors. The cell can repair itself or the scientist can patch in a corrected sequence.” This breakthrough has been applied with success across plants and animals. Imagine a future world where our immune system is no longer defenseless against cancer. As you look into the night sky and imagine the future – know that we have not seen everything yet and hope for the wisdom to use knowledge wisely and for the common good.
Charles Dickens wrote a classic work, one quote I appreciate “no one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” It is easy to get lost in our own beliefs – Maya Angelou reminded us “we are only as blind as we want to be.” To conclude with a bit of ancient humor, Atticus said ” I hope to arrive at my death late, in love, and a little drunk.”
Make a difference for someone this week end and do a little star gazing. Mike