Our Uniqueness

"For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." -- Psalm 139:13-14

I've been fortunate to have given many, many lectures to students, professional groups, public groups and various clubs throughout my professional career (over forty years.) The subjects of my lectures varied; but nearly all had personality, human nature, stress management, chronic pain control and self improvement as the core issue. At practically all of my scheduled speeches, I emphasized the importance of each person, their uniqueness. I would ask each to look around the room and at all the others attending. I'd ask them if they noticed anyone who were like them, or even closely resembled them. None, of course, could. I'd then have them consider the fact that, even if they were enabled to view all the people of the world, one at a time, they'd never find anyone who was the same as they. That being done, I'd ask them to try to deny their unique importance. It was interesting to see the reactions. Now, I come onto a more encouraging bit of news. At an international conference on astrobiology, the study of extraterrestrial life, held at NASA's Ames Research Center in April 3-5, 2000, 700 astronomers, biologists, chemists, geologists and other researchers, there was serious pessimism among all who attended that there is life (as complex as our life) on other worlds. Now, this may not excite some; but when you consider that in our Universe there are billions (possibly many billions) of galaxies containing billions and billions of stars and that, even if a large percentage of the stars had a "solar" system such as ours (that is, had planets revolving around a star such as our sun), the chances of life being found on those planets are virtually nil. Now, how unique does that make us? British paleontologist Simon Conway Morris told the conferees, "I don't think there is anything out there at all except ourselves." Wow! Here you are, the only one in the Universe as yourself; there's no one anywhere like you. Doesn't that give you a real shot of importance? It should. I know I stood a bit taller for having found out that I'm the only one like me!

For a while there was excitement that some fossil-like evidence of early life on Mars was established by examining a meteorite that fell to earth, apparently having come from that neighbor millions of years ago. Now, it's highly doubted that the evidence points to fossil remnants. It's now considered that what had the appearance of "fossils" are actually chemical artifacts left over when Mars came to be as it is, and are not evidence of biological activity. So, now, it's back to square one instead of moving onto square two. Of course, some die-hard scientists feel that once they get their hands on some of the rocks from Mars (brought back by a return rocket) they will be able to get it all straightened out -- and will prove that there was life on Mars. The failure of the Mars orbiter and lander (crashed on Mars' surface) set them back a few decades. Their hopes were dashed. And, as if to dash their hopes even more, an astronomer at the University of Pennsylvania said Martian temperatures may never have risen above 37 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, too cold to sustain life. Of course, this opinion is countered by other scientists who have found micro-organisms living on Earth under extremely unlikely conditions. Some simple bacteria have lived after being frozen to temperatures below Mars' 37 degrees below zero. And, then, there are those organisms that survive under extremely hot conditions. Some of these are found thriving in the super-heated water pushed out from the oceans' floors and from the heated magma deep in the Earth's bowels. Oh, well, speculation doesn't get us anywhere. That there is all that pessimism being spread around keeps me believing we are a pretty unique species, we humans. And, you and I being a unique one of them, can claim our importance without blinking an eye. So, shout it out, dear wayfarer, "I am important. There's no one in the Universe such as I."

Look reverently at this beautiful snowscape -- a spot on Earth, where isn't important. What is important is that nowhere else in the Universe will you find a condition that permits the snow to fall, the trees to lie asleep awaiting their Spring awakening; nor will you find a species that has the intelligence, had a purpose, had the equipment and taken the time to construct a road through this winter beauty. Having seen the road, knowing that it "wasn't just there", allows you to assume that somewhere at its beginning or at its end is life that we call human. When you view any of Earth's beauty -- no matter in which form it is found -- you must then marvel that a creation took place, and where there is creation, there has to be a Creator. Nothing "just happens." It results from a purpose and a plan and an action. Nowhere else in the Universe has there been a purpose, nor a plan, nor an action to create any species that is as a human being. We are alone, but only as a species. We are not alone as creations, nor forgotten, because our Creator's purpose was to create, but not to abandon His creation. We belong to Him!

You? Unique? Of an estimated 6 billion people living on earth, and of them millions who have lived before and of the billions who will live after you, there never will be one like you! Wow! Why do you not feel important? and unique? and special?

The essentials of life -- of which this is one. The sound of breaking waves on the shore can only be appreciated by not only hearing it, but listening! Isn't is unique to have our senses to see, hear, smell, touch and taste? They give us the sense of being alive. Indeed, "we are fearfully and wonderfully made."

Astronomers are now focusing on the concept of "habitable zones" -- places and conditions (including times) when advanced forms of life are possible. For instance, a habitable zone must be a planet that has liquid water, an average mild temperature, a balance of essential chemicals and a steady supply of nutrients and energy. The planet must be sheltered from deadly radiation (from within as well as from without), comets and asteroids. And very important, these conditions must last for millions (more likely billions) of years (our years). Such a planet must not be too close nor too far from its sustaining star, and hence not too hot nor too cold. The "sun" cannot be too large nor too small, nor near the center of its galaxy, where violence prevails, still be not too far from the center, where complex chemicals needed to sustain life are absent. The galaxy itself in which this "ideal" planet is situated must not be too old nor too young. Considering all this, there's little hope for finding such a habitable zone as our Earth provides us. Isn't our Creator wonderful? He thought of everything -- and provided it in just the right amounts for you and me to be able to say we are important -- indeed "fearfully and wonderfully made . . .", and on a planet that suits us just fine. Perhaps we had better do more to preserve our unique home so we won't destroy our own uniqueness!!