Some years ago an elderly gentleman came down with a fatal disease. He had spent most of his life studying birds and had made significant contributions to the ornithological literature. But he could find no peace as he contemplated his hopeless future. He was frightened. He was a fine person, and I desperately wished to help him. Since he was childless, I could not sustain him with the usual desire for immortality by reminding him of his progeny. Recalling his excellent work in his chosen field gave him no surcease from his fears. I helped to get his affairs in order by obtaining a lawyer for the preparation of his will. I made a point of visiting him socially as often as possible.
One day he was wiping the dust from his treasured piano.
"Paul," I inquired, "where do you think that dust came from?"
"I don't know," he answered. "From outside, dirt, fungi, bacteria and what not".
"Partially true, but much of it comes from outer space. Stars like our sun have a definite life span. Our own sun is about five billion years old and has approximately as many years left. Since the universe, astronomers tell us, is fifteen to twenty billion years old, many stars have undoubtedly already lived out their lives. Remember the supernova of 1987? That was the way that particular sun terminated, in a huge explosion".
"Yes, I recall that event, but what is your point?"
"Such explosions create huge clouds of dust, some of which falls on your piano. The point of all this is that the amount of matter in the universe is constant and that life is a series of endless cycles. For example, early this morning we saw the sunrise. Daylight lasted about twelve hours and then the sun set. It hasn't gone. It will be back tomorrow morning. A severe winter will be followed by a beautiful spring, and the earth will begin to live again. That fine tree in your yard will lose its leaves in October. They will fall to the ground and nourish the soil, and the tree will make new leaves in April. The birds, the study of which has enriched not only your life, but that of all of us, do not live indefinitely. One day they will fall, but they are not lost or wasted. Their molecules will enrich the soil and may produce sustenance for an insect, which may become food for another bird.
"In short, nothing is ever lost. The number of molecules in all creation, according to Einstein, remains constant. They may change their form, but they are not lost. When we reach the end of our days, we too will fall to the ground and fertilize the soil. Grass will grow for the cows, who will produce milk to be fed to a new baby so it can grow and replace us.
"There is no beginning and no end. When we come to the end of our days here, nothing is lost. In one form or another we all live forever. At some time in the future a beautiful bird will delight all who hear or see it. And this may be due to you.
"That handsome star that exploded a few years ago will, in time, become a new star. We are all part of an endless cycle".
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