Opossum Delight

Listen to your heart, you know what's right: Opossum Delight!

​​​​Read the full story ⬇︎

Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) was founded in 2012 to provide an outlet for upper atmospheric research, astronautics education, spacesuit evaluations, and aeronomy education.
 
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But I propose an alternate theory of what Project PoSSUM is really all about. You see, it all started when the people in town got sick and tired of Cosmo the Possum playing around with all their trash:
 

PART 1
This is the story ‘bout little Cosmo;
The possum who made trash a show.
But the people in this land, they didn’t understand--
So they shunned Cosmo and made him leave the land.
 

Shine bright, starlight—their trash is your delight.
Don’t listen to them, they don’t know what’s right:
Opossum Delight!

PART 2
Then one day trash fell from the sky;
Astronauts dumped it, nobody to ask why.
But now they gotta care cause it’s falling all around--
What goes up, must come down!
 

Shine bright, starlight—their trash is your delight.
Don’t listen to them, they don’t know what’s right:
Opossum Delight!

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PART 3
Dr. Stella brought us all together.
He said: “Cosmo, you can’t wait forever.
“Everyone’s got a gift to shine their light--
“Their trash is yours tonight!”
 

Shine bright, starlight—their trash is your delight.
Don’t listen to them, they don’t know what’s right:
Opossum Delight!

PART 4
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​LIFT OFF!!!​

INTERMEZZO
“This is Cosmo to Ground Control:
“I’m floating through the ethereal space;
“Sweeping stardust with marsupial grace.
“The Cosmos have made me whole.”
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​COSMIC ODE
Here’s to the ones who have heart;
Here’s to the ones with soul.
Here’s to the ones who shine bright,
For they light up our world
And they make us feel whole.


So here’s to the ones who have heart;
Here’s to the ones with soul.
Here’s to the ones who shine bright,
For they light up our world
And they make us feel whole--
So listen to your heart,
You know what’s right.
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PART 5
Shine bright, starlight—their trash is your delight.
Don’t listen to them, they don’t know what’s right…
 

Shine bright, starlight—their trash is your delight.
Just listen to your heart, you know what’s right:
Opossum Delight!
 

Well, that’s the story ‘bout little Cosmo;
The possum who made trash a show.
Now the people in this land, they finally understand,
That we’ve all got a gift to lend a helping hand.
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So, you see, in this revisionist history, Project Possum is really an initiative by the aerospace industry to clean up all that space trash left behind by astronauts, by sending possums into space.
 
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Final Thoughts
This is of course a work of fiction, but it does point to the truth. How many people dismiss the talents, gifts, and offerings of others simply because they are different from their own? How many people in our world are rejected simply because they are different?
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The Saw movie franchise makes me quite uncomfortable—partly because of the senseless violence, but also because it puts up a mirror to our modern world, reflecting back to us where we have gone astray. To live in this world, we can't go it alone: we have to do it together.

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In other words: Everyone’s got a gift to shine their light…so listen to your heart, you know what’s right.


Want More?
Jonas Cain, M.Ed. is a storyteller, magician, musician, and facilitator of fascination—uncovering joy through curiosity and wonder. Connect with Jonas to discover more: [email protected]
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