Suddenly, the sun doesn't seem that big anymore.
The moon has just become some off center rock formation.
Even Sgr A*, at the center of our galaxy, is young in an ever expanding infinity.
Lost in an understanding of math.
An understanding that
the limit as x-> infinity of 1/x=0
is an understanding of my own
nothingness.
Yet understanding that
the sum of 1/x, from x=1 to x=infinity
diverges
is an understanding of more than that.
I remember what my grandfather told my dad, told me, his only daughter:
Life is nothing
but a kite,
in a box,
in a house called eternity.
I'm an astrophysics and computer science student. I study black holes and neutron stars right now, and sometimes I get lost in the scales of the universe. I find it interesting how I can easily talk about objects hundreds times larger than the sun, and then talk about the particle collisions that make them burst. The universe as we know it is infinite, and yet we are made of the same infinitesimal parts. Sometimes I get a bit lost in the math, sometimes I get a bit lost in the wonder.
I just wanted to thank my dad for everything. I can trace my dreams to his- he taught me how to use my first telescope and how to write. We used to trade stories and poems, and still do. He's coming out with his first book this year, called Dynasty of the Magi. I'm on my way to hopefully be an astronaut, but I have to survive (and afford) undergrad first. Here's to working towards our dreams!
If you ever want to chat about stars, or if you want to give advice to a young undergrad, please email me!
Amani Garvin
[email protected]
New York City