A Consider Able Speck

ohitsjustkim:

fairgroundsoldier:

01012012:

friendly reminder that after each passing day you are closer to finding your soulmate

and your grave

and eating your next pizza

People often say that “Time is an excellent teacher.” But I wonder…is Time truly a great teacher, or is Time really nothing more that God’s blackboard?

(I think it’s the latter.)

One should never forget. However, some memories should be put away for a time.

“…How can I explain it to you? Oh, I know. In your language you have a form of poetry called the sonnet.”

“Yes, yes,” Calvin said impatiently. “What’s that got to do with the Happy Medium?”

“Kindly pay me the courtesy of listening to me.” Mrs. Whatsit’s voice was stern, and for a moment Calvin stopped pawing the ground like a nervous colt. “It is a very strict form of poetry, is it not?”

“Yes.”

“There are fourteen lines, I believe, all in iambic pentameter. That’s a very strict rhythm or meter, yes?”

“Yes.” Calvin nodded.

“But within this strict form the poet has complete freedom to say whatever he wants, doesn’t he?”

“Yes.” Calvin nodded again.

“So,” Mrs. Whatsit said.

“So what?”

“Oh, don’t be stupid, boy!” Mrs. Whatsit scolded. “You know perfectly well what I’m driving at!”

“You mean you’re comparing us to a sonnet? A strict form, but freedom within it?”

“Yes.” Mrs. Whatsit said. “You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you.”

Without birds and other flying creatures, I posit that civilization wouldn’t be what it is today. Think about it…

When the ancestors of trees first developed, they developed structures that would allow them to stand straighter and taller.

And what happened? Flying creatures (such as the ancestors of insects) perched on them. If a proto-tree wasn’t strong enough to support an ancient insect, then it would simply be crushed, or snapped in two.
If it wasn’t crushed, success!

Rinse and repeat for several millions of years.

Trees, on top of supporting their own structure, would now be needed to support the creatures that clambered along their branches.

Fast forward another bunch of millions of years.

Intro the bird: expert flyers, what better place to perch than a tree? It’s up high, perfect to stand on, great for avoiding predators…
So a bird would, if not flying, rest in a tree.

Now things get interesting…because it’s not only one or two birds staying in a tree, but flocks of them. Hundreds of creatures descend upon a tree—

And what happened? If a tree couldn’t take it, it would snap. Those that survived had stronger structures to pass on. These structures had to be light enough to be able to reach great heights, yet strong enough to bear the brunt of the elements, as well as the mass of whatever creatures (or communities) decide to live/descend upon it.

Fast forward some more…

Introduce humans. They’re looking for a building material, one that is easy enough to cut and burn, yet strong enough to support anything that might be thrown at it…

And they came across wood. Conditioned for millions of years to bear more weight than its own self needed, strong enough to not wear away easily, yet flexible andaliveenough to grow and be shaped into any form.

Even today, wood is one of the many components holding up society and civilization today.

Yay :)