Shadows

Shadows…

Whether figurative or literal, they make up a sizable portion of our life experience.

Metaphorically, shadows provide us the opportunity to face our deepest, darkest moments and still push forward. Without setbacks, we could never grow. Without experiencing failure and mistakes, how else would we get the chance to mature? Without hardships or trials, the depth of our interpersonal relationships would never develop past trivial statements regarding the weather.

Though uncomfortable, surviving shadows doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Sometimes, it takes being located squarely in another’s shadow in order to receive the swift kick in the pants needed to level-up ourselves. Competition and stress, viewed in the right context, can be extremely beneficial to our personal evolution. 

Physically, shadows are also one of the most important factors in our ability to survive. Imagine trying to navigate three dimensional space without shadows. The way our eyes (and brains) use shadows (value and contrast) to perceive depth and allow us to move around without crashing into every chair, coffee table, and wall is incredible!

This fascination with the eye as well as its experiences of light and shadow are what drove the 18th century English physician Thomas Young into the field of physics.

Thomas Young (1773-1829), has contributed a great deal to humanity. His grave plaque is inscribed with the legacy, “a man alike eminent in almost every department of human learning.”  

In 1799 (at the age of 26), he set up his medical practice in London where his primary interest was in the realm of sense perception. While a medical student, he discovered the way in which the lens of our eyeballs relaxes and contracts in order to focus on objects at various distances. He was also the first person to describe astigmatism. Cool, huh?

In 1801, Young then turned his curious mind toward the study of light. His most famous contribution was establishing the wave theory of light by creating and performing the celebrated double-slit experiment.

By allowing light to pass through two slits in a metal sheet onto a screen, He found that the beams of light spread apart and overlapped. Where the beams overlapped, there were bands of bright light which alternated with bands of darkness. Essentially, this experiment definitively established the wave nature of light by demonstrating this interference.

To come out in support of this new understanding of light was to go against the century-old Newtonian idea that light is a particle. Like most scientific discoveries, Young’s wave theory was only made possible by a curiosity and courage strong enough to challenge the prevailing views and beliefs of the time. 

He didn’t give up in the face of resistance. 

There are many shadows we face, both great and small, that often keep us stagnant. 

Whether you’re dealing with the shadow of fear, self-doubt, or toxic social and cultural norms that are trying to limit your ambition or expression, be a “Young” and cut out that crap.

Take that leap.

Be curious.

Don’t be afraid to be weird.

Innovation can never materialize without someone asking questions and pushing boundaries.

Thanks, Thomas Young... for being courageous enough to step out from behind the large shadow of your predecessors and, in so doing, teach us the importance of thinking outside the box. 

One last random fun fact about Mr. Young: He was so fascinated with Egyptology that he began studying the Rosetta Stone and within a few years, he succeeded in providing a nearly accurate translation and thus heavily contributed to deciphering the Egyptian language.