Galileo's Lesson

Galileo's Lesson

We are not the center of the universe, our lives don't always revolve around us and knowing this will help us be more tolerant and open. But it does not have to mean that we are not special, that we shouldn't strive to make a difference, to be better. We are like a planet, unique, individual but at the same time tied to other planets 

For hundreds of years we believed that Earth was at the centre of the universe, that the sun revolved around us, Galileo saw things differently. He believed that the earth revolved around the sun, that the universe was not centred around us and that we are only part of an even bigger system. What is amazing is that we still ignore this fact. Not in the sense that we believe that the Earth is at the centre of the universe, no, but we live our lives many times thinking we are at the centre and the people within revolve around us. Riley said something in this episode that I knew but I never thought about but it will stay with me for a long time: if you stand on the moon it may seem like the Earth is orbiting around it and not the other way around; it’s all a matter of perspective. We orbit the sun because we need it, we need its warmth, its energy and without it we wouldn’t be here. Weather we decide to believe it or not our lives don’t revolve around us whoever weird it may seem. Much like Earth we are part of an even bigger system but sometimes we just don’t know it.

It is sometimes very hard to think that we are not the centre, to think that people don’t cater to our needs, that our problems are the world’s problems, that only bad things happen to us. Maya and Riley learn this the hard way when they transfer to a different history class because Riley feels that she is ready to taken on the world without her dad’s guidance. When they enter the new class they are ordered to sit on opposite extremes of the class at the back, they are not allowed to talk or stand up. Back at their other class they sat together, at the front, at the centre of everything. The new teacher doesn’t know their names, doesn’t give them special treatment, there is new Riley, new Farkle, new Maya and a new Lucas in this class. Riley sees her family everywhere, at school, at home, at their hangout place, the bakery and so she tells her parents to give her space because they are circling around her. She thinks like a lot of us that their lives revolve around her. But when they leave there is something odd, there is a sense of loneliness in her. It turns out that Riley revolves around the live of her parents and needs their presence. We need to circle the ones we love for as long as they are here with us because like the Earth we need the sun and other planets in order to continue rotating. It takes shocks like these to learn some lessons at times.

Some people voice their opinions about something, give us an insight into what they are thinking, what they like, what they hate, what the believe in and many people may see it as a personal attack on them. Because to them, they are the centre of the universe and everything people say is about them and what they believe in is the right thing. We take things as a personal attack that aren’t meant to be, we show little tolerance with people who think differently, all because we believe what Galileo disproved.  It is just an example but those who know me know I am catholic, well before I leave my house to a football match I have a small prayer. My house mate knocks on my door the other day and told me that he can’t stand that when we talk about the future and what we have done I sometimes I say that I have God to thank to help me get to where I am and allowed me to have such a good life because it insults him that people can believe in something that is not real, or not proven, it’s attack on his believe, or on his principals. This is not a religious argument but a point of tolerance, in my eyes everyone is free to believe in what they want or choose not to believe in anything. Just because we see things a certain way doesn’t have to mean that we must close down the opposition, it should mean that we listen to what they have to say, tolerate our differences and learn from them.  

My housemate sometimes gets a little judgemental towards me for watching this show or being interested in the life’s and values of the stars of the program, he says that I should have a role model in my field and not look up to people from a tv show or from sports. He believes that kid/teen shows are only intended for them and that they only show an unrealistic ideal world and that is okay it is his opinion, but not listening to my arguments for watching these shows, that is the difference. I watch Girl Meets World because it it reminds me of the good values and ideal behaviour I should have, because it brings back the innocence I had when I was a kid and most importantly because it helps me be a better version of myself. These types of arguments occur too often. If you are fan of a football team and mention it there are many people who will try to prove that their team is better, that your team sucks because they feel it is an attack on their believes while in reality it is just a statement. Not everything everyone says or does revolves around us. Acknowledging that we are not the centre of the universe helps us be more open to the different opinions out there, to think that different points of view are valid, to help us be more understanding and maybe even correct us when we are wrong.

But acknowledging that not everything revolves around us does not have to mean that we are not special, that we shouldn’t strive to make a difference, to be better, it means we should tolerate others and be around the people we love. We must still work hard for our dreams, for goals, it just has to remind us that we need people in our lives more than we ever think we might need. We are part of an even bigger system but every action we take has an impact on that system. Striding to be the best version of ourselves, by knowing not everything revolves around us and being more tolerant helps this system. We are not always right, we are not always wrong, we must be open minded like Galileo and see beyond what we have been taught and what we are costumed to.  

Episode: Girl Meets Gravity