Abstractions
Light is an abstraction. We can’t see it in its pure form. It is invisible until it interacts with other objects in creation. When it does finally interact, it undergoes a transformation within the object it reaches by exciting the very electrons that make up the atoms of the molecules of that very object. When the electrons calm down, for lack of a better description, they emit new photons of light that are unique to that object. This is one reason why everything is distinguishable; why the sky appears different than the ground, why a tree appears different from a flower, why you are different from everyone else.
Pure light is invisible and if we were to look into pure light, in its full intensity, we would not only be blinded by its intensity, but we would only see white – that is nothing. Likewise, in the complete absence of light, pure darkness, we would be blinded as well seeing only black – that is we see nothing.
Light’s elusiveness prevents us from seeing at the extremes. However in the middle, there is shade – the mixture of pure light and pure darkness. It is only here that our eyes can see the light and transmit that information to our brain where we can interpret what we see. But even more amazing is that our brain is in complete darkness. Light never reaches the actual organ in our head. What we “see”, the light that reaches our eyes stops right there. The light is not piped into our brains, only electrical impulses from the optic nerve reach the brain.
In addition to all of this, the objects that we think we “see” are not truly seen at all. In reality we are only seeing the light that emanates from the objects in creation after they have interacted with pure light, which we cannot see. So we may never know the true nature of creation.
One final thought – if the brain interprets everything that we perceive through our senses in this vast universe, then it would seem that the vast limitless size of the universe actually only occupies the space contained in our head.
How’s that for abstraction?
Peace.
