Thoughts on the Infinite

Thoughts on finite creatures chasing the infinite, and maybe what its like the other way around

One of the great pursuits of humanity has been to understand the infinite

The challenge of the task is we are limited by our finite minds

We can’t grasp the idea of eternity

We don’t understand what it feels like to stare into forever.

We try to represent such ideas in math and literature

To offer vague ideas to convey thought that sound like “staring endlessly into the abyss”

But to know what if feels like to comprehend eternity is something that is truly out of our grasp.

 

It may be disheartening to know that there are things that may never be

We as a species are defined by the pursuit of what we want that is not ours

But others find comfort that ideas like forever are nothing we need to contend with

We have enough to manage on our own.

But consider that perhaps, we are the lucky ones

As temporal creatures we have a beginning and an end

We are birthed and one day we will die, gone and never to be here again

How sad it is then, for an eternal being, to perhaps look on these things and not conceive of them.

 

Standing outside of time, the eternal is in a constant state of “Is”

There is no yesterday

There is no tomorrow

There is no passage of time.

We feeble creatures on earth live in cycles and can observe things around us grow up, grow old, and pass on

The infinite being that stands, not throughout time, but outside looking in, just may not conceive it

The passion, the worry, the strive for a better day

To feel a sense of urgency, that things must happen now, or the benefit of patience are ideas that just don’t resonate.

How special are we, that we as temporary moments in forever flash so brightly just to be gone in an instant? 

The immortal could be envious of such a creature

To see growth over time, to witness change, to squabble over the meaning of life

These are things that belong to us alone and no other

 

Humanity will always chase the infinite

We always want what we do not have

I just hope that it doesn’t take away from the treasure that is uniquely ours

To live through time and feel the experience that is only ours to take.