Little known fact- I’ve always been fascinated with anything pertaining to the science of space- the last frontier. The older I get, the more I realize that science, philosophy, and spiritually are inextricably tied. In fact, ALL things are bound together in some way, shape, or form. The mysteries that are out there can also be solved by looking inward, as inside of us is a whole entire universe waiting to be discovered. The great mysteries of who we are and how we relate to the world around us can be found in many anomalies in outer space. “As within, so without. As above, so below.” This is the biggest Secret of Life. The quote is one of the seven principles of Hermes Trismegistus. The culmination of highs and lows over the last few years would show me the interconnectedness of all things and how an event horizon is not just an abstract space phenomenon, but could be used as a metaphor for my life. In the year of our Lord 2020, time not only began to slow down, but a new reality was realized and life would never be the same.

An event horizon is a boundary beyond which events cannot affect an observer. John Michell proposed that in vicinity of compact massive objects, gravity can be strong enough that even light cannot escape. It is the area surrounding a black hole that scientists theorize that time seemingly slows down and there is a point where you reach the event horizon and an object will most certainly be swallowed- never to be seen again. In a sense, I feel that over the last few years, humankind has neared the event horizon and we will either be sucked into the black void for better or for worse. Metaphorically speaking, it’s a point that we all reach in our lives where we know deep down that after an event has occurred- our lives will never be the same. What’s in that void could cause us to completely collapse and disintegrate or it could profoundly change us for good -forever.

Around this time last year, the world shut down as we knew it and time seemingly began to move at a slower pace. Forced inside our homes and sequestered from family and friends- life was going to show us how to be humble and still. With a global pandemic afoot and racial tensions in America rising to a fever pitch- we had to pause and reflect on what was going on inside of our hearts to reap such harsh realities. For so long, we masked these ugly truths with lies and didn’t realize that one day the weight and gravity of it all would suck us in, slow us down, and for some, pull us into a deep dark void. Whether we made it out of the void by faith, fate, or sheer will and determination was our choice to make. We have all collectively suffered tremendously and the toll of it all remains yet to be seen.

For me it was a time to go inward and focus on where I wanted to be post apocalypse. It seemed we were entering a dystopian movie: Mad Max Beyond The Thunderdome, The Hunger Games, or I Am Legend. To gain some form of normalcy my son ,who was home from college, purposed that we have a set dinner time of 6pm almost every night and had family dinners to discuss how we were all doing. It turned into therapy sessions sometimes and afterwards we would play Uno or Heads Up and laugh for hours. The set time brought a level of comfort and much needed certainty. It was such a bittersweet time of calm and chaos. The calm from spending long overdue quality time together as a family unit, while in the background- uncertainty and fear with Coronavirus loomed over us like a dark ominous cloud. To offset the darkness, I began to create boundaries in relationships that were long overdue, I danced more, laughed more, and began writing again. The despair in uncertain times will force you to seek out that which you love. Soren Kierkegaard states, “The most common form of despair is not being who you are.” In many ways, I felt that the sign of the times were screaming get busy living or get busy dying. For whatever time I felt was left, I was no longer going to live the life of someone else. I chose to live as authentically as I possibly could from that moment moving forward.

In many ways, I began the shift to living more authentically even before the global pandemic hit. When it did hit along with everything else- it just made it more clear than ever that I was on the right path. Even if you’re not completely sure what that path is- taking a step everyday in the direction you want to go is better than not taking any at all. “God isn’t asking you to figure it out. He’s asking you to trust that He already has. I’ve learned that so much of what we see out in the world and universe is a reflection of what is already inside of us from the relationships that we have with one another to the relationships that we have with ourselves. It’s based upon the way we think and feel. As fascinating as the universe can be with all of her mysteries that are out there- be mindful not to get so caught up with what’s out there, but be ever vigilant about what is going on within us. Until the end of time- there will always be catastrophes waiting to befall us, but there are also miracles waiting to happen for us too. Everyone and everything is bound together by this cosmic force. Let this year’s event horizon absorb us all into a beautiful void of peace, love, and joy- where everyone realizes that when you do what you truly love, time slows down and a new reality takes form. “As within, so without.” As above, so below.”

Speaking Frankly,

Janay Durand Frank