Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" was on the Science Channel this weekend. →[More:]I stumbled across it just like I did the first time it aired in 1982. And when I heard the opening strains of 3rd movement of Vangelis' "Heaven and Hell" -- I got all teary eyed. My girlfriend, who's is 12 years my junior and never seen the series told me her older brother worked with Sagan for the special effects on "Contact" and cried when he met him. She wondered what would cause such a strong reaction in us.
I told her that even though I was raised in a religious household, that Mr. Sagan's series was something I found more optimistic, more hopeful and joyous than any sermon I ever heard in church. I said that he showed me that we were all a part of everything (made of starstuff) and that we could reach the stars if we were brave enough, wise enough & compassionate enough to put aside our petty BS and recognize ourselves for what we are -- the only (as far as we can prove) beings capable of recognizing and understanding of the universe and our place in it.
I was a little taking aback by my display of emotion, but then I remembered that I had shed more tears on the news of Sagan passing than my own father's.
I don't really know what the point of this post is, other than to say that if you or your children haven't seen the show, perhaps you should catch while it's on again.
That's all.