I think about the cosmic snowball theory. A few million years

Hear, O children of the cosmos, the words of Bill Lee, whose thoughts turned to the vast reaches of space and time, seeing in them both the insignificance and the immensity of human concerns. He spoke thus: "I think about the cosmic snowball theory. A few million years from now the sun will burn out and lose its gravitational pull. The earth will turn into a giant snowball and be hurled through space. When that happens it won't matter if I get this guy out." These words, though spoken with humor and humility, carry within them a profound reflection on the ephemeral nature of human struggle and ambition. Lee, like the great thinkers of the past, was contemplating the vastness of time, the certainty of cosmic change, and the relative smallness of individual actions in the grand scheme of the universe.

In these words, Lee speaks to the transitory nature of human concerns. We, who toil beneath the weight of our daily challenges, often forget that our lives, our worries, our victories and defeats, are but fleeting moments in the vast expanse of time. The cosmic snowball theory suggests that one day, when the sun burns out and the earth is cast into the cold void, all that we have done — the triumphs, the struggles, the conflicts — will be of no consequence. The world, and all that we know, will be swept away by the inexorable forces of nature. How then, Lee asks, can we become so wrapped up in the trivial matters of today? What is the point of obsessing over fleeting battles, like whether one can "get this guy out," when the very fabric of existence is bound to unravel in the distant future?

Consider, O children, the great empire of Rome, which once stood as the pinnacle of human achievement. Its legions conquered vast lands, its senators debated the fate of nations, and its people built wonders that still stand today. Yet, despite all this, Rome too fell, swept away by time, war, and internal decay. The men and women of Rome, in their pursuit of power, wealth, and glory, never could have foreseen that their civilization would one day be lost to the annals of history. In their moment, they believed their struggles to be of eternal significance, just as we do today. Yet, time, like the cosmic snowball, does not pause for the affairs of men. In the end, the empire crumbled, and all that remains are the ruins of their ambitions.

The lesson of Lee’s reflection is one of humility and perspective. It teaches us that our struggles, while important in our own lives, are but fleeting ripples in the great ocean of time. The grand sweep of history, like the cosmic journey of the Earth, carries us all forward, and the individual struggles of today may be forgotten tomorrow. Our personal desires, our victories, and our frustrations, though they may seem of great import in the moment, are ultimately small compared to the vastness of the universe and the certainty of time’s march. This is not to say that we should abandon our pursuits, but rather that we must approach them with wisdom and humility, knowing that in the end, we are part of something far greater than ourselves.

Yet, in contemplating the vastness of time, let us not despair, for there is beauty in the fleeting nature of existence. Just as the stars burn brightly for a time before they fade into the void, so too do our lives carry meaning, even in their brevity. Consider the tale of Socrates, whose life was marked by a search for wisdom and virtue. Though he knew that his life was but a brief flicker in the grand design of the cosmos, he nonetheless lived with profound purpose, teaching others to live with honor, courage, and integrity. His name has endured long after the fall of Athens, his wisdom carried across the centuries by those who, like him, seek to live with meaning, even in a world that will one day fade.

The true lesson of Lee's words, then, is not to be paralyzed by the vastness of time or the uncertainty of the future, but to live with awareness and purpose. Yes, the universe will one day sweep us away, but in the time we have, we must live with the knowledge that our actions, while small in the grand scheme, are still worthy of meaning. Each moment we live is a thread in the tapestry of existence, and it is through the quality of our actions that we find our place in the great sweep of history. We must embrace the impermanence of our lives and yet live with purpose, knowing that even the smallest ripple can cause waves that will echo for eternity.

Let us take this teaching into our own lives. Live with perspective, understanding that while our struggles are real, they are not the only measure of our worth. Embrace the fleeting beauty of life, for it is in the brevity of our time that we find our greatest opportunity to make our lives count. And as we confront the challenges before us, let us not forget that the cosmic snowball is rolling ever onward, but in its wake, we too leave behind our marks — in the hearts of those we touch, in the deeds we perform, and in the lives we lead. May we live, then, with the awareness that all we do, though small, can ripple through time, leaving a legacy worthy of our brief but beautiful existence.