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                   The sun is 92,900,000 miles away, and light from the sun 
                    takes 499 seconds, or slightly more than 8 minutes, to reach 
                    us  In that time the 6.66 sextillion tons of the 
                    wobbling Earth-Moon pair careen 9,230 miles along their joint 
                    orbit around the sun, an arc of more than one Earth-length 
                    (7,926 miles) without that beam of light! 
                  If things outside our bodies prove weirder than they seem, 
                    imagine things inside our squishy flesh. 
                  Most individuals' early formations of mind were crystallized 
                    from shocks and events having to do with the height, breadth, 
                    and stature of our parents, teachers and caregivers. Sprung 
                    from genetic origins, we're lifted and ennobled by strivings 
                    for understanding, and whacked by accident! 
                  Later everybody's out to hook up with someone, marry Mr. 
                    Right, or get ahead of other bobbing corks on the waters of 
                    the economy. You do get the idea we're in a shipwreck, don't 
                    you? 
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