INSPIRATION FROM OUTER SPACE by Sarah J. McNeal

Yesterday I watched a new release on Netflix titled VOYAGER. I expected it to have some exciting facts and images, and I certainly was not disappointed, but I also got something unexpected.

Voyager 1 and 2 were launched a month apart in 1977, their mission to send back pictures and data on Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune including the moons that orbit them. From there the two spacecraft would continue to travel out into interstellar space beyond our solar system into the great unknown. We will receive information from Voyager 1&2 for many years to come because they have nuclear batteries powering them.

Jupiter's Moon, IO

All of this scientific data is enough to excite us Earth-bound humans, but Voyager 1 has on board something very special, something that the scientist, Carl Sagan envisioned and included that will carry humanity into the stars in immortality.

The Golden Record

Carl Sagan made a golden record of Earth sounds, of animal sounds, a variety of music from classic, to jazz, to rock, and music from other countries around the world. A message of “Greetings from planet Earth” spoken by adults and children in many languages was recorded on the golden record. Sagan also included images of humans and a map to Earth using pulsars.

The Arrow shows the last picture of Earth from Voyager 1 

Voyager will be out there still traveling with humanity’s thumbprint long after all life on Earth has disappeared and our sun has turned into a red giant. And maybe somewhere, sometime if other intelligent beings are out there, they will find Voyager and discover that there was a planet named Earth where once life abounded and human beings reached out to say, “Hello, we were here.”

Sarah J. McNeal

Diverse stories filled with heart

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The Wedding That Inspires A Better World

Meghan and Harry become the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

I’ve been thinking about how Harry and Meghan met and how they fell in love for their mutual passion to do good in the world. I thought about my own passion for preserving our planet and the living creatures on it. Some of you may already know my number one hero is Jane Goodall. She, too is fighting to save our planet and defend the wild things that live on it. I want to follow her example and do what I can to make Earth a peaceful, harmonious place where all living things can thrive and be happy.

Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Goodall stopped eating meat when she realized the pain and suffering of animals that lived a life of misery before they were slaughtered for food. While I don’t believe I can give up dairy products and eggs yet, I believe I want to become vegetarian. I may not be able to accomplish my goal, but I do want to put some effort into changing my life for the betterment of the planet.

Dr. David Suzuki

I use reusable bags when I shop and I no longer use straws and other plastics as much as I can. The worst is Styrofoam and it’s hard to avoid because of take-out and eggs and it’s still used to pack certain electronics and such. Still, I can write to companies and ask them to find other reusable or biodegradable materials to pack items.
Meghan, now Duchess of Sussex, wrote a single letter to a company about their sexist advertisement and that company changed that advertisement. Meghan was just twelve years old when she wrote that letter, but what an inspiration for us that she got them to make a change. In my life, I do what I can as well. I detest cruelty and so I sign petitions, write comments to lawmakers and companies to change their policies. While I realize my impact alone may not bring about a change, I can join others and we can fight together for change.
What are you passionate about? What do you do to fight for change?

Sarah J. McNeal

Diverse stories filled with heart

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Inspiration

                                            National Geographic

Inspiration for stories can come from anywhere; people we meet at the train station, snatches of overheard conversations, newspapers and just about everything else. I've been thinking about writing a story around a character I love in my upcoming series, The legends of Winatuke whose name is Pennytook. He's the chief of a Gypsy tribe in the world of Winatuke and travels from one fascinating place to another trading horses, going on adventurous quests, or enjoying the local frivolities.

I happen to watch a television program on National Geographic and saw an episode of a series I believe is called Human Planet where they explore the customs and cultures of people who live in extreme places. The episode that fascinated me the most was the Monguls who, as a right of passage into manhood, must scale a cliff, steal a Golden Eagle baby, raise it and train it to hunt. It's like the ultimate in falconry. When I saw how magnificent these people looked on their sturdy ponies, with their beautiful Eagles tethered to their arms, I knew, this was the image I wanted for my next hero, Pennytook the Gypsy.
From where do you get your inspiration? What is the most inspiring thing you ever encountered? Did you write about it? Do you purposefully look for inspiration or keep a writer's journal? Tell me about it.
Sarah