Two Worlds

I sat on the lakeshore as the sun's evening rays turned the granite peaks orange. At my feet I saw, on the surface of the water, pollen and algae bobbing up and down on the gentle ripples. On a tree trunk next to me, an ant scurried by. Below, water bugs skittered across the lake's surface, and polywogs and small fish swam beneath.

An entire world, in one cubic foot.

For about twenty minutes, this world was my world. I watched all that took place, and marvelled that so much life could take place in such a small space.

A few hours later, I prepared for bed. I looked up before entering the tent, and saw the stars; and I wondered about the world in which I live: planet earth. As big as it is, at that moment it seemed no bigger than the cubic foot at the edge of the lake.

You'll see the stars better if you enlarge the picture by clicking on it.
Scorpio is rising over the mountains on the other side of the lake.