The universe is made up of stories not atoms.
The universe is a grand tapestry of stories. These are tales woven together not just from physical atoms and particles, but from experiences, ideas, emotions, and relationships that transcend the physical. Stories have been our primary means of transferring knowledge, culture, and wisdom throughout generations. They shape our understanding of the universe and our place within it.
Think of creating archieval quality not ephemeral quality. Make things that last.
The Pyramids of Egypt, Shakespeare's plays, and Beethoven's symphonies – these things last because the people who came later decided they were worthwhile preserving. Is the think you are making a keeper? How can you make it so?
Not many things indifferently, but one thing supremely is the demand of our world.
What if we thought of depth rather than breadth, mastery instead of mediocrity? Whether it's a skill, a piece of art, a scientific endeavor, or any other pursuit, focusing intensely and passionately on one thing often leads to extraordinary outcomes. We know this… but it’s just so hard to focus!
Whatever we make, we’re ultimately contributing to the human story. This contribution is preserved in every re-telling. To make something that lasts is to make something remarkable, something worth talking about. It’s to make something that benefits the re-teller of the tale.
Telling the truth is an example of something remarkable and worth retelling, especially if it's a truth that others haven’t seen before. Art is an attempt at seeing and truthfully retelling what we see.
Love this! (I wish there was a way to "restack" images like we can quotes.) Substack has really brought me back to this idea of evergreen versus ephemeral. It's nice to have a platform that supports archiving work.
“We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” -Joan Didion
Thanks for the sparks, Adam!