Vog, Tectonic Plates and Time

Posted on October 11, 2012 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Vog from the Big Island’s volcano hanging over Koko Crater

Good Day, God!

Yesterday morning, while stopped at a red light, I grabbed this photo of the vog hanging over Koko Crater. It was so thick it reminded me of the Last Days of Pompei. And that violent eruption put our little vog into perspective, God.

I’ve had a lot of perspective recently. Maybe too much? I just finished reading Simon Winchester’s book A Crack in the Edge of the World — about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the gigantic tectonic plates that we live on top of. I found an interesting map of these plates. I must say, God, that the idea of The North American plate starting in Iceland and going all the way to the coast of California boggles the mind.

Reading about how these plates have been interacting — pushing each other around and creating huge mountain ranges — for millions (or billions) of years does put my life in context. Mostly, this Tectonic Action happens in Geologic Time. But, when plates get stuck — not moving — and then get unstuck with an Earthquake — it enters into our Human Time — and we never forget the experience.

Let’s see, God, our human historical timeline goes back 4,000 or 5,000 years. Then cave paintings take us back maybe another 35,000 years. And I don’t even want to think about all the Old Bones. We are quite recent, aren’t we God? That’s more Perspective.

And what do I make of it all, God? Nothing really profound or surprising. Just that I should Carpe Diem! Seize the Day! And make good use of this amazing Life I am living — Right Here, Right Now!

Thank You!