This was taken in 1969 by Michael Collins as the lunar lander returned to the orbiter above the moon. How fascinating, because here in this photograph, Collins is the loneliest human in the universe. Here, he has captured an image of everything known to us as ordinary people: the moon, the sun's light, and every human alive, except for the photographer. In this image, Collins is excluded. Behind the lens is a void and one human being. How absolutely amazing.
I was thinking about watching the movie The Moon tonight but I am afraid that I will feel too lonely myself. Though in reality I am not lonely and nor do I feel that way right now. Perhaps I want to escape the applications I am writing right now to graduate school and to curl up in my bed and watch something that is distant and freeing. Though I cannot imagine the feeling that Mr. Collins had up there taking this photograph, having nothing to fall back on if he did lose hold and if the moon let him suddenly go.
Do I have something to fall back on? Yes, some dreams and some idealizations. Perhaps on love and on non-careers. Manual labor and art and creativity. Perhaps I would attend graduate school in the humanities and develop my writing better, to learn about history and about thinking. I would study the modern era and the history of science around the world. Do I really doubt myself so much that I will not move forward next year? I suppose that question is relative.
What will you fall back on?
1 comment:
I don't know what I will fall back on in the future, hopefully on something that actually exist. But for now I'm solely and full heartedly falling back on freedom.
Sorry if it's a weird answer.
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