Summary

In "The Big No-thing," Jeremy and Eileen contemplate the night sky, with Jeremy focusing on the stars and Eileen on the vast emptiness of space that gives rise to all things.

Abstract

"The Big No-thing" is a narrative that explores the philosophical musings of two individuals, Jeremy and Eileen, as they gaze upon the night sky. While Jeremy is captivated by the billions of stars and the grandeur of the cosmos, Eileen is drawn to the concept of the "No-thing"—the infinite emptiness from which everything, including the universe and humanity, originates. Jeremy's inability to grasp Eileen's perspective leads to a moment of disconnection, as Eileen finds solace and a sense of home in the boundless void that most overlook, challenging the common human tendency to focus solely on tangible matter.

Opinions

Jeremy represents a traditional viewpoint, marveling at the visible beauty of the stars and the vastness of the universe filled with countless galaxies and stars.
Eileen offers a more philosophical and existential perspective, valuing the "No-thing" or the emptiness of space as the true essence of existence, from which all things emerge.
Jeremy's reaction to Eileen's perspective suggests a discomfort with concepts that challenge conventional beliefs about the significance of physical entities.
Eileen's silence and eventual explanation to Jeremy indicate a deep, introspective understanding of the universe, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the intangible aspects of reality.
The story implies that human perception is limited by what we are taught to see and believe, often overlooking the fundamental role of nothingness or void in the creation and continuity of existence.
Eileen's contemplation of the "No-thing" reflects a spiritual or metaphysical connection to the universe, contrasting with Jeremy's more scientific and object-oriented appreciation of the cosmos.

Fiction

The Big No-thing

Romance under the stars

Jeremy craned his neck to look up at the night stars. Without looking at his girlfriend Eileen, he spoke softly, “It is so amazing. There are billions and billions of stars. There is no way we can see them all. There are billions of galaxies, each with a billion stars. We can look forever and not see it all.”

Eileen was silent as she looked up into the night sky.

“Have you ever wondered what it must be like up there in the middle of it all?”

Eileen said nothing.

Jeremy briefly looked at Eileen then back up at the night sky, “What do you see when you look up at the night sky? Do you lose yourself in the endless stars? Do you wonder what other objects are out there? Do you wonder how far away everything is? Do you see yourself in a spaceship shooting through the universe seeing so many different worlds? How do all those many stars make you feel?”

Eileen said nothing.

Jeremy looked at her, “Are you looking at the stars? What are you feeling? What do you think about looking at all those stars?”

Eileen finally looked at Jeremy, “I’m not looking at the stars. I’m looking at all the empty space between those stars.”

“What? Uh… what do you mean? All those magnificent stars and you’re looking at the empty blackness around them?”

“Yes. I’m looking at the empty space between all the stars. I’m looking at the No-thing.”

“The what?”

“Everything that is came from the No-thing. All the universes came from the No-thing. Our world sprang forth from the No-thing. We humans came from the No-thing. Without the No-thing there would be nothing. With our eyes we look everywhere and we see things but we don’t see the No-thing. We don’t see the infinity of time and space. We don’t see the emptiness of eternity. We only see a teeny tiny miniscule part of what was birthed from the No-thing. We were birthed from the No-thing but our minds tell us that we are separate from it. We have been taught to believe that there are only things so that is all we see. We have forgotten the No-thing from which we came. When I look into the night sky I search for that No-thing and try to feel it. To me, it is home.”

“What? What the…”

Eileen looked back up into the night sky.

Jeremy took a step back, “My parents warned me about people like you. You look up into the glorious night sky and don’t even see the stars. Don’t you have eyes? Don’t you know what you’re supposed to see?”

Eileen said nothing in response.

Jeremy kicked the dirt then turned and walked back to the house.

His retreat may as well have been a return to the No-thing to Eileen. She was oblivious to his actions as she continued to stare up into the blackness between all those stars.