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Music To Orbit By
By Ned Ingberman

Once upon a time, in the distant void of the universe, there stirred a melody of music. By this music the galaxies were set in motion. And nestled deep within one galaxy lived and thrived a solar system.

For billions of years its planets were governed by the Great Law of the universe. It was the very source of their birth, life and orbit. By this Law they wrote their Declaration of Interdependence - and lived by its code of principles.

The Great Law guided each planet to grow and reach its individual planetary destiny. Thus, the planets flourished together in great harmony as one united solar system.

One day one of the planets said to itself, "Why not change the course of my orbit - just a little bit? After all, I have plenty of momentum of my own!" And after so deciding, the planet veered off its true path. It felt good! It felt free!

The change was very slight and went mostly unnoticed by the rest of the solar system. As time passed, the planet told some of its neighbors about its new sense of freedom, and they too altered their orbits. Many more followed.

It wasn't long before numerous disruptions in planetary traffic began to occur and there was much bickering and disagreement as each planet laid claim to its own orbital rights and freedoms.

Where before, the planets spent a lot of time looking out for each others welfare, they were now more concerned with protecting that of their own.

So a planetary committee was formed and a set of new laws were drawn up to protect certain rights and freedoms. But while these codes protected the rights and freedoms of some, those same codes deprived or infringed upon the rights and freedoms of others.

Surveys were taken and a complex social structure of bureaus, departments, and investigative sub-committees was instituted to analyze and rectify the problems. More and more laws were always needed, followed by more that would qualify, interpret, limit, expand, revise or nullify the previous ones. Whereas before, the planets lived by a few simple codes, they now had a thousand fold more!

And with the administering of all those bureaus and departments came the burden of increased levies and taxes that were needed for their upkeep.

Thus, the quality of life in the once harmonious and peaceful solar system slowly but surely deteriorated. The music by which the planets had so gracefully glided became fainter and fainter until it was heard no more. And the memory of there ever having been a Great Law faded into oblivion.

One day, one of the younger planets decided to reverse the direction of his rotation. He was so dizzy that he could not see that his stray orbit was on a collision course with the sun! "Try spinning the other way - it'll give you a great buzz!" the young planet said to his neighbor.

Alarmed by this, the neighbor warned the young planet, pleading with him to change rotation course. But his words fell on deaf crust - the young planet was set in his path and there was no changing it.

In a somber mood the neighbor planet spent some time reflecting upon the orbit-altering trend that began so long ago. He pondered over the choices he had made over the centuries and about the new generation of planets and what the future of the solar system would be in their hands. His moons trembled at the prospect!

"I don't like the looks of this one bit", he thought. "Maybe it's too late, but I'm going back to my true and original path of orbit right now!"

And so he did. Neighboring planets soon noticed how round and plump he looked and how his moons began to shine.

But what surprised them most was something they had long heard legends about. It was faint as a whisper, but beautiful as can be - it was the music!

And so, as they had one by one abandoned the Great Law, the planets now one by one embraced it again. And the music became louder and louder. And as it did, each planet grew to reach its full individual destiny. Thus the planets flourished again in great harmony as one united solar system.