Tuesday, July 26, 2005

A Man Said to the Universe...

A man said to the universe:
“Sir I exist!”
“However,” replied the universe,
“The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation.”


This is a poem by Stephen Crane. I first saw it six years ago on an MBTA advertisement for the MFA and it has stuck with me ever since. This may just be the most honest piece of philosophy that I have ever experienced.

After all, what does the universe owe us, anyway?

However, this lack of obligation on the part of the Universe also means that we can enjoy whatever successes we can string together within our own lives because WE are solely responsible for making it happen; both individually and with the people that we surround ourselves with.

And I find that very liberating, somehow...