The past several days have given humanity plenty to think about. Men, deemed explorers by some and invaders by others, have been lost. Their true fate may never be known. The voyage has made every news channel and every social media site.
This morning, their fate is most likely sealed. Deep beneath the waves that mark the rhythm of the oceans, they've run out of time.
In the darkness, did they question their choices?
They knew where the sub was headed. Far out of reach of most men. Perhaps surrounded by the junk of our species. Abandoned nets, floating bits of containers, plastic bags...the gamut of things unwanted by all the universe. But also surrounded by a beauty most men will never see. Species that have survived the millennia to exist in the very habitat these men ventured into of their own free will in a vehicle created by their own skill and imagination. To see that mankind has limitations, regardless of our intelligence and creativity, is a lesson for us all.
Certainly, these men's families are suffering a terrible loss. Those who provided for children, wives, or other loved ones or who sought to inspire others are gone. My heart breaks for them as they pass from this world to the next. And it aches for their loved ones as the morning dawns and their questions go unanswered.
But at the same time, my soul says they had no right to enter that place of silence and darkness. Where others, perhaps dreaming of a better life, met their own fates. Where those who are meant to live in such a place go about life as if nothing has changed. And where the spirits of those who entered by accident seek peace and quiet.
Are there places we shouldn't go? Are there places that deserve our respect? That should be held in awe,and left unknown to inspire our imaginations?
I believe the answer is yes.
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