Reading as a lifeline

And by this I DO NOT MEAN news.

As I struggle to imagine a non-apocalyptic end to most of life on earth and an imminent end to our democracy , I can be temporarily distracted by  news of our amazing planet. As many have dryly pointed out: we are not now tasked with saving Earth: it will likely survive as a planet no matter what humans manage to do. It is the current, teetering web of life (of which we are a numerical minority, and the dominant threat) that is endangered. Every time I read of folks despairing over the economy instead of climate change and removing environmental protections to help goose an economic recovery, I lose the foothold in the equanimity I gain when I focus on our miraculous galactic life raft.

Today I read the announcement of a successful manned journey to the deepest deep: Challenger in the Marianas Trench. I had not before heard of the deepest spot as my last recollection was the deepest trench, which I took to be the end of the discussion. Oh silly me. Science rarely (if not never) reaches an absolute and entire truth. That is one of it's strengths, and the basis for the two tenets of my personal belief system: Be Kind, Be Humble. I am an abysmal adherent.

Fellow creature realizing he could have read a book instead.

To prove my failure, here is a question that came up on Google under the inquiry: "how deep is the pacific ocean?". There was a box answering related questions, including: "can you swim to the bottom of the ocean?"  I roared with laughter at what I judged to be amazing ignorance. So you see, I do not walk my think very well. And the entire basis of this blog rests on me being unwilling to do so.

So, reading both fiction and non-fiction have afforded my what conscious (excludes sleep, and binge viewing, puzzling and/or snacking) respite I enjoy that counts as more than escapism.