Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to [email protected]
The Earth is one planet among trillions of other planets in the known universe. The Earth is not significant because it is the largest planet, nor is it the oldest. In fact, scientists and geologists speculate that this planet has undergone five extinction level events in the past billions of years since its formation.
What is distinct about our home world is that it took the efforts of the collective comets, meteorites, and stardust to form the Earth over time. It took the radiation of our medium class “baby star” we call the sun to give us the warmth necessary to survive in the “habitable zone.” Our planet is located exactly between the blistering closeness of heat and life deadening distance of the freeze of space. Most would call this intelligent design or the divine grace of the Creator. I recognize it as the collective efforts of our community to form, establish and maintain life on Earth.
Yes, we live on a spinning miracle. This was the design over time. A community effort to start life. It will take a community effort to maintain life.
James Weathersby
Chaplain
Riverview Psychiatric Center
Augusta