Earthrise is the ideal image to end this particular program on.  I agree wholeheartedly with Joseph Campbell that the image reminds us that there is no division and that we are united in our planetary destiny.

I believe we reconnect with this myth whenever images of earth are shown.  Even when I feel put out with something like an internet troll getting under my skin, I suddenly see a satellite image of the night sky showing golden points of light (electric lighting), which is particularly dense around highly-populated areas, of course.  And suddenly I feel a kinship with the people of, say, Russia…. or Australia.  We all share a common humanity.  It reawakens compassion in me.

Or maybe I see images of the floating garbage island in the ocean and feel a deep despair about our future together as a planet.  We all suffer from damage to our water supplies, our forests, our lands.  The challenges threatening us are obvious – can we come together and put politics aside long enough to solve any of these disasters?  Or will the promise of Earthrise remain nothing more than a symbol, incapable of moving us to action?  Time will tell us soon enough.