When he returned to Earth in June 2019, after more than six months aboard the International Space Station [1], in a brief interview, here are some of the first words of Canadian astronaut from Quebec, David Saint-Jacques:
"I just fell back from the sky. Gravity is not my friend. But you know what’s striking me is the smell of the grass. The smell of wild grass here, it’s just beautiful." [3]
Interesting observation about the good smell of the grass, when they returned to Earth, in the Soyuz capsule landed on the steppes of Kazakhstan.
It reminded me of harvest times, when the smell of hay invades our olfactory receptors. We don't even have to be on a farm, we just have to be on the roads that border the fields. It is life that exhales its perfume. Rare the one who does not exclaim: - The smell of fresh cut hay... mmm!
I understand the immediate observation of the Quebec astronaut, on the ground covered with grass where the Soyuz capsule landed, after a “winter”, so to speak, which was longer for him. After so much time inside an artificial environment, where there is a system of filters to eliminate smells from inside the space station, the sense of smell must become more responsive to the smells which are pleasant to us on our Earth.
This strong emotional bond that we have with our planet is fascinating. Of course, not only emotionally, we depend on it to survive. We have no autonomy. We are its natural products, we are born and grow nourished by it, we are shaped by its gravitational force which sculpts our bones, our muscles, in conjunction with genetic directives... and so on. It is not surprising that we identify with our world.
It is also fascinating this desire that human beings have to seek other worlds in space. It is progress bringing many beneficial side effects, such as advances in the medical field, for example.
And, perhaps, one day, a "new world" will be created for humanity, as during the great navigations that led Europeans and Africans to the Americas. Among the dead and wounded – tant bien que mal – here we are. Maybe, there is a possibility of discovering a "viable" planet, which could give humanity more chances of survival, more time to develop and improve physically and spiritually.
In the meantime, we must take better care of our home, our Earth, without exhausting it. The disastrous consequence of its exhaustion is for ourselves. Other plans need to be made, and the basis certainly already exists in our hearts.
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Related links:
[2] Canadianastronaut David Saint-Jacques returns to Earth | Globalnews.ca
[3]https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1557524035786
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