opposite? different? or unknown?

So, I’m still reading this fascinating book called The Edge of Space-Time by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. The farther into I get, the slower I have to go. Maybe there’s some corollary there with the laws of quantum mechanics (so far as we know them). And let me be very clear – I don’t get a lot of what I’m reading. I barely made it through algebra 2 and the chemistry class for the regular kids, aka not AP. So, with all of my disclaimers, then why am I so enamored of this book?

Well, it just keeps reminding me of the ways that people behave and the way people talk about things, and those are topics I’m perpetually interested in. Here’s one example: dark matter. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. You’ve probably heard that it comprises a vast amount of the universe – 27 percent, according to NASA. But what caught my attention was the naming of it. Dark matter does not emit light, thus the name, but it’s really just invisible.

So, taking a turn here, when I say “north,” what do you think of? When I say “up”? What about when I say “Democrat”? Very likely many of you would answer south, down and Republican which are the opposites. We seem to go to opposites or to opposition first. Yes? No! Black? White!

But why not east, sideways and independent? Why not yes, and? Or black, and? Everything has more than just its opposite. There are endless differences to count but we’re very inclined to go to the quickest solution, and it is in our nature to make up stories to fit our narratives. Why does my mother always interrupt me after asking me a question that I’m answering? Quick! Fill in the blank – that’s your solution. Why does my co-worker present my ideas as her own? Fill in your answer, and there it is again – your solution becomes your narrative becomes your belief.

Take a pause to recognize that the things we tell ourselves might be an error in thinking, an error in assessment. Instead of landing on the opposite answer, try a different answer. Instead of opposite or different, try admitting you just don’t have enough information yet. There are a lot of possibilities in this world, quantum and ordinary. Investigate. Interrogate. Slow down. Speculate. Imagine. And always with kindness. Always with love. Life is magical; full of wonder and surprises. Give new ideas a chance.

By the way, dark matter is important because “the absence of light can be just as informative as its presence,” according to Prescod-Weinstein. How’s that for a metaphor for living your questions?

© 2026 www.megreilly360.com

7/27/2026