The Bhagavad Gita is a poem within the Indian Epic, the Mahabharata. It deals with many things but the one item that is of most interest to me is what Krishna tells Arjuna about beliefs and the power of internalization. Arjuna is torn about going to battle where he knows that many of his relatives will be killed. Krishna expounds on life and living and many things. Yet, he tells Arjuna that he (Arjuna) must make up his own mind and not do as Krishna tells him to. To me this is the essence of the Bhagavad Gita - that I have the power within me to listen and decide what is right and wrong and not have to rely on ANY authority. That, that is also what I should impart to my children - open them up to the power of their minds and their ability to reason and think for themselves.
You may be wondering where I am headed with this jaunt down a bit of eastern philosophy. As long as I can remember, I have enjoyed learning and teaching. Mathematics (geometry in particular), science (chemistry, physics and now biology) and engineering have always been fascinating. The boundaries of my ignorance keeps expanding ever so rapidly as I progress in my learning. Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned is what I will loosely call
the scientific process and fidelity to that process.
I am delighted and privileged that I am a member of the community of peoples in these United States of America that continues to be the engine of growth and innovation and unparalleled optimism.
From time to time I will share by wonder about the world around us - and there is so much. Instead of gloom and doom, my columns will be about how, we humans, by the sheer power of our minds and reasoning, continue to make this world a better place.
I am continually reminded about the wonders around us through the eyes and the world of my 5 year old child - sho sees delight in fallen leaves and the sensation of taking off in an airplane or the thrill when it lands.
I'll start with the airplane. I am not a stranger to air travel, yet I am amazed everytime the plane takes off and lands without incident. I remind myself of Bernoulli who understood that when air is forced at high velocities on top of wings, the pressure is lower and there is a lift. I am amazed at the engines that run for hours on end with nary a problem and carry hundreds of people safely.
The world as we know is flat and shrinking all the time.
The automobile - or should I say a moving device with controlled explosions? The next time you turn the ignition key, think about what it took for so many to have figured out how to harness the power of explosive material to move you and your family safely from one place to another.
The telephone - with or without wires, carrying voice over thousands of miles (or next door). Whether it is the small particle called electron or precisely
generated waves that can travel miles, we can keep in touch.
The internet - ah yes, packets of information whizzing around from computer to computer and bringing what you want, where you are - the world at your fingertips.
Statins - those wonder drugs that grab the bad cholesterol and take them away so you can enjoy a longer, more productive life.
The printing press - words that bring me delight and joy (with the help of glasses made from man-made plastic material that helps me see).
Summer fruits and vegetables in winter - the magic of air cargo and the linking of the Northern and the Southern hemispheres.
The world is a better place today than it has ever been. Enjoy, take a whiff.
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