Friday, May 28, 2010

The Inside Passage


We do not want schools....
they will teach us to have churches.
We do not want churches....
they will teach us to quarrel about God.
We do not want to learn that.
We may quarrel with men sometimes
about things on this earth,
but we never quarrel about God.
We do not want to learn that.

Heinmot Tooyalaket ( Chief Joseph), Nez Perce Leader

Santa Elena Canyon

Rio Grand River, Big Bend National Park

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Stucture of The Universe


After 32 years of working with this simplicity, today I realized to a greater degree how wonderfully beautiful basic things are. In my humble profession I use these figures to make land suitable for humans. I've always revered the great importance in their truths. Now I see plainly the astronomy in them.

I was on the witness stand 4 hours today as an expert witness concerning matters such as these. In the final moments the Judge wanted me to answer questions I thought were twisted, and I refused to answer a simple yes or no. He got unhappy, and would move on to another question I thought was similar, and on it went. I thought I might be hauled off any minute but wouldn't budge from what I thought was true. He left me no choice. In this moment of stress and uncertainty I saw for just a glimpse, the absolute pure magic in what we were doing, and what makes little numbers so special. They must be honored.