Significance?

When I look at the stars and realize

that the light from some of these suns takes a million years to reach my eyes,

I realize how tiny and insignificant this earth is,

and how microscopic and evanescent are my own little troubles.

I will pass on soon;

but the sea stretching for a thousand miles in all directions

and the stars and spiral nebulae swarming through illimitable space above,

they will continue for thousands of millions of years.

I marvel that any man looking up at the stars

can have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance.

author: unknown