Yes. This is a deliberate click bait heading. But a joyful one though. For once again, as we start 2023, the earth has made a complete revolution around the sun – a process which takes approximately 365 days to accomplish. And we are thankful that the process continues, since life as we know it, could not exist here on our home planet Earth without the Sun.
The Sun is the only star and the largest object in our solar system. The gravity of the Sun holds the solar system together – from the biggest planets to the smallest bits of debris circling around it. The Sun rotates on its axis but does not spin as a single, solid ball.
Since it is made up of gas – called plasma – with varying degrees of heat, some parts, like the equator, completes one rotation in 25 days. While at the poles, the Sun rotates once every 26 days. It is ironic (poetically, that is) that, although nothing can live on the Sun, its energy is vital for most life on Earth.
Aside from gravity which keeps the solar system together, there is the immense benefit from sunlight itself. The sunlight’s system of photosynthesis supports most of the food chain on this planet. I am sure we remember what we learned in biology many moons ago.
What is more, the major natural source of Vitamin D is the skin’s chemical reaction when exposed to the sun. The leaves of plants are green because that color is the part of sunlight reflected by a pigment in the leaves called chlorophyll. It is through photosynthesis that plants create their own food.
This is not to forget the vital functions of soil and water in the life process. And animals and human beings feed on plants. No wonder the venerable Buddhist monk Thay wrote that when you look at your food, or put on your clothes, you see the sun and the cloud, among others.
It is also understandable that in ancient cultures and religions, a sun deity is almost always found playing a major role. During the reign of the pharaoh Akhenaton (sometimes called Ikhnaton), a sun deity was not just one of the many deities but the first monotheistic religion in history was born. It revolved around the sun god Aten.
Much like the concept of one God was born. Before then, the Egyptians worshipped and paid homage to many deities. He commissioned a new temple dedicated to the sun disc Aten. If my memory serves me correctly, I think it was at the Louvre Museum in Paris where they have a considerable number of artifacts from that era
I was in awe as I went from piece to piece especially a broken down statue of Akhenaten whose wife was Nefertiti. Unfortunately, there is not much left from that era as I understand. He reformed the religion of Egypt so drastically that he was considered a heretic Pharoah for a while after his reign. I think he was just ahead of his time.
I can imagine how people took it when the Polish scientist in 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus, announced that the Earth, along with the other planets, rotated around the Sun. What??! Heretic! Blasphemy! It is supposed to have taken more than a century for his theory to become widely accepted. This, inspite of the scientific explanation he gave. Lesson to learn from this – keep your mind open to new ideas.
Speaking of new ideas – I need to digress a bit at this point. You may want to check out the 2013 movie “The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet” streaming on Netflix. I was thoroughly absorbed by this Canada-France co-production which was a bit different for this kind of genre. A sensitive, heart-warming tragedy. Breathtaking scenery and cinematography. Great actors, especially the lead actor who played the 10 year old T.S, a young child prodigy with new ideas.
Helena Bonham Carter plays the mother, with great aplomb. The interesting fact is that, apparently, at least based on the closing credits, the scenes were shot on location in Alberta and Quebec (or was it British Columbia?).
As far as the story is concerned they are supposed to be in a farm in Montana. Anyway, suffice it to say that this is one of the best movies I have seen. Nothing that smacks of Hollywood, that’s for sure. How come I never heard of it? It should be a classic. A must watch for all film students.
That said about the Sun, I really do wish that with the new year beginning, we will have, once again, a so-called normal life. A peaceful new normal, if need be.
Speaking of 2023 – I am immensely looking forward to the concert of the widely popular Icelandic concert pianist Vikingur Olafsson with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at the Roy Thomson Hall in June of 2023. His brand of playing is akin to refined passion
. I am almost always constantly playing his recordings. You may still be able to find a few tickets available now but as early as December, most of the seats had been taken already. I bought my tickets as early as last month for the June 2023 concert. I already missed his concert in Montreal last October, aside from the concerts in New York last November.
This time I am not taking chances anymore. Especially since it will be on homegrounds. I am so grateful that TSO and Master Gustavo Gimeno, the head of the TSO and its conductor, has Vikingur in their programs for 2023. Three cheers for the TSO! I have missed watching concerts there for three years now. Glad to see them back.
I know it’s late but I congratulate Argentina for their big win at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022! I am not really into football but I could not help but be curious about Messi. I first heard about him from a K drama series “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Choo”, which is one of my all-time K drama favorite along with a C drama series “The Rise of Phoenixes”.
In the process, I watched part of the games and saw how good a player he was. He deserved to win the Most Valuable Player award. And I am happy for the Argentinian team and for their country.
To top it all, I am glad that the FIFA did not allow any political messaging within the games which was streamed all over the world. I agree that we should just be able to enjoy the simple things in life regardless of political beliefs, race, religion, and what-not. Keep it simple please!
With this last message and in that tone, I really wish life could be a little less complicated which it seems to be these days.
Tessie O. Taylor