b. w. van riper

There is creation. Of course! And, it is, according to Webster's unabridged dictionary: "The act of bringing into existence from nothing the universe or the world or the living and nonliving things in it." But what's behind creation? What incentive inspires bringing something into existence? That is, What is the source of origins? The clue is probably right there in front of us, but hidden in plain sights. In this idiosyncratic rendition, a small number of witnesses are compelled to look, to seek. That's what this story, or tale, is about. Looking. Seeking. Vision. And it's not just about searching the universe for answers. But it's not just about searching ourselves for essence, either. Yet both are intertwined and advanced by an alien prominence that is both dazzling and daunting. More than anything, the alien eminence is a reflecting mirror. Of blunt candor. A mirror image of a mirror image. -We're in it/up to our very chins, treading the boards, anguishing about losing our balance, seeking affirmation. We cannot know the possible answers, though, until and unless we ask the challenging questions. And we cannot fear asking the difficult questions, or seeking the vexing answers, because they may cause discomfort and inconvenience. SOMETHING ABOUT NOTHING...may reveal the source of origins, and it may reveal something about us that is provoking.also something that is promising. And an endeavor that is more hopeful in its prospects that fraught in its outlook has more charm than angst. This may be the Final Venture. In that context, and more than a metaphor, NOTHING could be the author of everything. Not an absence but a presence. Not a deficit but a salience. Not a void in the nature of things but ht essence in the core of everything.