Matter and energy overlap
each other so holistically, so comprehensively, so thoroughly that one is the
other looking backwards. The unfolding phenomena make them appear different. In
essence, though, they are the same. Matter is nothing but energy in hiatus with
the foundations of atomic and molecular structure. It’s a transitory state from
uncertainty, probability and full potential of the pure energy in the void
chambers of nothingness to a kind of fixity, certainty and harnessing of the
already-existing potential in the form of visible particles. It’s a mere fluid pause
of energy in space and time.
Energy is matter free of its
molecular and atomic bondage at the lowest rung of visibility. As we move up to
pure energy from the material manifestations at the lower order, going through
various transitory states at the quantum and sub-atomic level, the fixity goes
on decreasing. You may say ‘from everything to nothing’ in our laymen terms. Patterns,
certainty and identity melt away. The last of the tiniest quarks give way to
almost nothingness, pure energy, pure potential. The visible matter is just a
fruit on the tree of pure potentiality that defines pure energy in the vacuum
of nothingness.
Take earth for example. You
have water, ice, air—different transitory states of the same element—in the
environment. Beyond our planetary atmosphere we have the dark void defined by
cosmic rays and dark matter. This is an incidental bubble in the pop-up play of
creation. Gravitational forces and other favourable factors help retain this
bubble. The sunrays provide fuel to the cyclical game of matter-energy
transformations within the bubble. A beautiful system of regularized events and
phenomena emerges. At the cosmic scale, it’s a bit more sophisticated atomic
and molecular arrangement of energy, nothing more than that.
So my dear human-centrist
theorists, please recognize that this earth and the drama of life on it is a bit
larger atomic arrangement. There is hardly any qualitative difference between a
simple atomic arrangement and earth as such. They are just numerically different.
If you feel too large for your skin, stand on the terrace on a clear dark night
and stare into the starry distance. To the cosmic immensity, an ant and an
elephant on earth are the same. Well, but the ant and the elephant are entitled
to their grandiose plans here on this little mud ball. You, me and all of us
are entitled to the same. Play your drama joyfully. Don’t miss the little
things that bring a smile. Appreciate the smile of a flower, applaud the airy
dives of a butterfly, hail the rains and go stomping in the monsoonal mud, feel
the kiss of gentle kiss of the breeze on your skin, salute and acknowledge the
ferocity of storms, roll in the green hilly pastures, bathe in mountain
streams, enjoy your tea at a roadside tea
stall, bless a child, give a coin to an old helpless beggar, throw
grains to the chirpy birds, chase away the bully feral dog and come to the aid
of a meeker one, share your food with others at the office canteen,
congratulate the office peon for looking smart and energetic, the list is
endless my dears. Little thinks that can give us a smile are countless, so why
wait in vain for the bigger reasons which are so few. Little causes of smiles
are the sinews that will one day make the nest of your happiness, which one day
gets us joy, appreciation of life and gratitude for being alive. Keep smiling
my dears!
