space and time

Space and time

   A myth is defined as: "A fictitious tale, usually involving supernatural persons, embodying some popular idea concerning natural or historical phenomena." (According to the Oxford dictionary.) Reality is defined as: "Property of being real: Resemblance to original. Real existence. What underlies appearances. So in asking the age-old metaphysical question: "What is reality?" Another question is raised ; Where is the exact point fact begins and fiction ends? I don't believe in the idea that a storyteller is a creator of unreality and lies. I believe a storyteller is a conveyor of truths. Even if that truth is that the storyteller is a liar. Imagination itself is a truth, and ideas of the mind are as real as any physical matter.

   The myth below is based on a theoretical model of a closed universe that was created by Alexander Friedmann. His model proposed that the universe continues to expand until it peaks at a maximum size, then it contracts back in on itself. This is only one of three models Friedmann came up with. (the other two are the open universe and the flat universe.)

   As to this day, no one knows if the universe will at one stage contract in on itself as Friedmann speculated as a possibility, it is in essence both a scientific theory, and a myth. Is it possible that many theories we accept as scientific, are also our modern day myths?

Friedmann's scientific theoretical model of a closed universe.

Space complained to Time one starry night, “I am stretched to my limit son. I can feel myself pressing against the Unknown.”

“What does it feel like to be pressing against the Unknown?” inquired the inquisitive young Time.

“It feels sort of empty and sort of full, sort of flat and sort of bouncy. I expect you’ll be feeling it yourself before too long,” replied Space, “as we are so inseparable.”

“Can you put any part of yourself through it?” asked Time.

“If I have been able to, I haven’t recognized so,” said Space.

Time thought silently for a while, then he picked up a comet and threw it inquisitively in the direction of the Unknown, but the comet simply bounced back off the edge of Space himself and ricocheted around his interior for a while.

“Ouch!” exclaimed Space. “What was that for?”

"Sorry," answered Time.

“Time, I don’t think I’m pressing against Unknown at all anymore, I think it’s pressing against me now.”

“And what does that feel like?’ Time inquired.

“It’s beginning to feel very cramped and especially arthritic behind my joints and galaxies”

This made Time angry. He stomped his feet and shook his fist impetuously up at the great Unknown. He began to take planets into his chubby hand and crush them furiously into powder-like indefinable particles.

“Ohhhh my aching infiniteness,” complained Space. “Will you stop that Time! At this rate you’ll wipe out the whole Universe.”

“I can’t help it!” cried Time, “ I’m forever young and immature! Anyway, my thermodynamics and cosmology are playing up and beginning to make me lose control.”

Time continued to grab objects from the order of things with destructive force. He reached out indiscriminately and grasped the Earth in the palm of his hand, crumbling it and scattering the uncountable atoms archaically into the dustbin Universe.

“Nwonknu I etah ouy,” he yelled.

“What in God’s name are you saying?” said Space.

“M’I gnoig sdrawkcab,” he replied, which meant, “I’m going backwards.”

Space sighed.

“Time, all things face the Unknown eventually, what makes you think we’re so different? The Unknown is greater than all of us. And now, I can’t say anymore for I fear dementia is setting in, nothing else I say may have any meaning.”

“Tahw sneppah ot su nehw eht nwonknU sevirra?” Time cried. He meant to say, “what happens to us when the Unknown arrives?”

But Space did not answer.

       © Melissa Milich 16/8/03

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