“What would you like to do now that your doctors have shared the heart-breaking medical news with you?” asked an interviewer recently Dr. Piers Sellers, OBE (born 11 April 1955), NASA climate scientist and astronaut, veteran of three space shuttle missions, who in October 2015, has been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Dr. Piers Sellers replied that at this stage, when his personal horizon has been “steeply foreshortened” to about one to one and a half year, what really important is how he is going to spend his remaining “Time”. He added that he has no exotic bucket-list as such and would like to spend his remaining time with his loved ones and get back earliest to his important work on climate change.
Dr. Piers Sellers: NASA Climate Scientist and Astronaut (Photo Source: Wikipedia)
Dr. Sellers has had the distinction of undertaking six space-walks more than 220 miles above earth and observing from space her fragile environment and melting ice due to global warming. Climatic changes due to global warming can have devastating impact on earth, not only on her flora and fauna, but also on her ever increasing human population, especially with sea levels rising due to melting of ice. He, however, is hopeful that a technological solution to the problem of global warming will soon be found.
This interview of Dr. Piers Sellers made me to think as to what really matters in life, especially when one is faced with a distressing situation like this.
We live in an interconnected world and what ultimately matter, I believe, are living in relationships and having meaning and purpose in life. Relationships are important at all levels of our existence whether it is at individual level or at the level of family, society, or nature.What we need is to live in harmony in our relationships because it is in harmonious living at all levels that we experience happiness deep within. Secondly, we exist on this planet to serve, to make a difference, and to live for a purpose that is much bigger and more important than ourselves. We need to feel that our lives stand for some thing worthwhile and we are making a valuable contribution. We also need to nurture our relationships not only with others but also with nature as we have the responsibility to protect the nature and leave this planet a better place for the generations to follow….
“mPower360” wishes Dr. Sellers all the very best in his future endeavors. May Almighty bless him with long life, good health and happiness, and strength to fulfill his mission…
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