Shaun – an astronaut in the book, Orbital by Samantha Harvey, wonders why he is …Trying to live where he can never thrive?
Trying to go where the universe doesn’t want him when there’s perfectly good earth just there that does. He’s never sure if his lust for space is curiosity or ingratitude. If this weird hot longing makes him a hero or an idiot, or if he is just looking for a place to belong?
Orbital is a sort of sci-fi meditation, revealed through the experience of astronauts during a fictionalized mission in space. It’s filled with compelling thoughts, unique perspectives, and invitations for deep wondering. The language is beautiful, evocative, even poetic. And it encourages you to look at one’s internal and external landscapes with new eyes.
Bill and I have now traveled south for 5 more days in the Namib Desert. We returned to the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge – where most of the staff have remained and remember us from last year. We are welcomed back like family. It feels (but does not look) like home.
The lodge has an astronomer and a fully equipped observatory. The sky here has been rated the darkest in the world, and so we spend time in the evening navigating the stars and planets.
Our next stop will be a return to South Africa. I look forward to our time there, remaining open to engagement and conversations with young creatives. I have so much enjoyed their spirit and perspectives on our previous trips. This is a special time in our respective histories. We are all in the process of change. Sharing stories provides food for the journey.
Just a 40 minute helicopter ride from our lodge in Namibia is the largest colony of seals in Africa. Along the “Skeleton Coast” there are over 100,000!
They didn’t look like seals. They could have easily been missed or mistaken for something that they’re not.