--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On the return trip home, gazing through…" description: "\"On the return trip home, gazing through 240,000 miles of space toward the stars and the planet from which I had come, I suddenly experienced the univer..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edgar-mitchell-6104_a-perfect-world_on-the-return-trip-home-gazing-through-2_1112468.png" --- # On the return trip home, gazing through 240,000 miles of… ![“On the return trip home, gazing through 240,000 miles of space toward the stars and the planet from which I had come, I suddenly experienced the universe as intelligent, loving, harmonious.” quote by Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edgar-mitchell-6104_a-perfect-world_on-the-return-trip-home-gazing-through-2_1112468.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edgar-mitchell-6104_a-perfect-world_on-the-return-trip-home-gazing-through-2_1112468.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edgar-mitchell-6104_a-perfect-world_on-the-return-trip-home-gazing-through-2_1112468.png) > “On the return trip home, gazing through 240,000 miles of space toward the stars and the planet from which I had come, I suddenly experienced the universe as intelligent, loving, harmonious.” [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The cosmos feels purposeful and caring, revealing a deep connection between humanity and the universe. **In simple terms:** The universe seems caring and connected. Key Takeaway Recognize and honor the universe’s harmony. Themes spirituality cosmos connection Mood wonderful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stargazing - reflection - meditation - creative inspiration Key Concepts interconnectedness purpose awe Questions to Reflect On - How does feeling connected to the cosmos affect daily choices? - What practices deepen this sense of harmony? A Different Perspective Human perception may project meaning onto vast emptiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronaut/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Aviator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aviator/) [Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmony/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Instead of an intellectual search, there was suddenly a very deep gut feeling that something was different. It occurred when looking at Earth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/instead-of-an-intellectual-search-there-was-suddenly-a-very-deep-gut/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today I suddenly experienced an absurd but quite valid sensation. I realized, in an intimate lightning flash, that I am no one. No one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/today-i-suddenly-experienced-an-absurd-but-quite-valid-sensation-i/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Think of the long trip home. Should we have stayed at home and thought of here? Where should we be today? Is it right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bishop/think-of-the-long-trip-home-should-we-have-stayed-at-home-and-thought/) [Elizabeth Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bishop/) > [“The trip back home was uneventful and over in only twelve words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/the-trip-back-home-was-uneventful-and-over-in-only-twelve-words/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Think of the long trip home. Should we have stayed home and thought of here? 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Strange how she was able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/traffic-is-light-as-she-leaves-mowbray-so-is-her-heart-light-soon/) Sindiwe Magona > [The real question is not are there other forms of life in the universe, but are there other intelligent forms of life out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/the-real-question-is-not-are-there-other-forms-of-life-in-the/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [For all we know, we are the only shot the universe has at intelligent self-organization. Therefore, we need to take it seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/for-all-we-know-we-are-the-only-shot-the-universe-has-at-intelligent/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“The smallest thing in this universe is an intelligent living creature. He sets himself to be imaginary in the premises of arrogant scientist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/the-smallest-thing-in-this-universe-is-an-intelligent-living-creature/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the rise of science is not that the early scientists searched for natural laws, confident that they existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/perhaps-the-most-remarkable-aspect-of-the-rise-of-science-is-not-that/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [Did you know, in the entire universe, we are the only intelligent life forms thought to have a Miss Universe contest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/did-you-know-in-the-entire-universe-we-are-the-only-intelligent-life/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [I believe alien life is quite common in the universe, although intelligent life is less so. Some say it has yet to appear on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-believe-alien-life-is-quite-common-in-the-universe-although/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life. It's just been too intelligent to come here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-m-sure-the-universe-is-full-of-intelligent-life-it-s-just-been-too/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) ## More by Edgar Mitchell > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [We do need different types of propulsion to get to Mars. I wrote one of the first Ph.D. theses on that in the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-do-need-different-types-of-propulsion-to-get-to-mars-i-wrote-one/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Our success and our understanding is that all beings are right inside, the deeper we go inside ourselves. There's a saying that Unity uses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/our-success-and-our-understanding-is-that-all-beings-are-right-inside/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [To kill a citizen of our own country is evil, but to kill a citizen of another country is 'good.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/to-kill-a-citizen-of-our-own-country-is-evil-but-to-kill-a-citizen-of/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/you-develop-an-instant-global-consciousness-a-people-orientation-an/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [When I learned that aliens really do exist, I wasn't too surprised. 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It all starts out with the notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/the-big-bang-has-gone-away-but-as-far-as-super-string-that-is/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Unfortunately, religions have become a part of the problem instead of part of the solution. We have fought our wars in the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/unfortunately-religions-have-become-a-part-of-the-problem-instead-of/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Another way to think of this is there are now 6.8 billion people on this planet, and half of them weren't even born when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/another-way-to-think-of-this-is-there-are-now-6-8-billion-people-on/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [We all know that UFOs are real. All we need to ask is where do they come from, and what do they want?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-all-know-that-ufos-are-real-all-we-need-to-ask-is-where-do-they/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Undoubtedly we will go on to Mars in due course, provided we don't blow ourselves up with our stupidities in the short run. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/undoubtedly-we-will-go-on-to-mars-in-due-course-provided-we-don-t/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [The quantum hologram is a mechanism to explain this concept of the ancients of the Akashic Records. It also explains Rupert Sheldrake's work among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/the-quantum-hologram-is-a-mechanism-to-explain-this-concept-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Our mission on Apollo 14 was to be the first to do science on the moon, so we had to be careful about getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/our-mission-on-apollo-14-was-to-be-the-first-to-do-science-on-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) [Explore all 100 Edgar Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) ## More A perfect world quotes > [Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/even-in-a-perfect-world-where-everyone-was-equal-i-d-still-own-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [So that's one of the reasons why we took time between the last one and this one, was to make sure that we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burk/so-that-s-one-of-the-reasons-why-we-took-time-between-the-last-one/) [Bryan Burk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burk/) > [I think every musician is different, every artist is different, and in a perfect world people would be able to pursue their own path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-think-every-musician-is-different-every-artist-is-different-and-in/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [In a perfect world we don't want to be overly dependent on any single asset or be so dependent on the cycle or where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/in-a-perfect-world-we-don-t-want-to-be-overly-dependent-on-any-single/) [James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/) > [The world can be better if there's love, tolerance and humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-sendler/the-world-can-be-better-if-there-s-love-tolerance-and-humility/) [Irena Sendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-sendler/) > [In a perfect world, my tennis game gets better. I have kids and a beautiful wife and live on some hill somewhere that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/in-a-perfect-world-my-tennis-game-gets-better-i-have-kids-and-a/) [Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/) > [Anything and everything at any given time is sort of the point I think. We're dealing in real situations and that's why we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/anything-and-everything-at-any-given-time-is-sort-of-the-point-i/) [Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/) > [I'm friends with everybody, I love everybody. I trust everybody because they don't give me reasons not to you know what I'm saying? So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christofer-drew/i-m-friends-with-everybody-i-love-everybody-i-trust-everybody-because/) [Christofer Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christofer-drew/) > [In a perfect world, I could be doing some bigger films and balance that with some independent films because they seem to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/in-a-perfect-world-i-could-be-doing-some-bigger-films-and-balance/) [Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/) > [Nothing has to be changed, because all is beautiful - that is enlightenment. All is as it should be, everything is perfect. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/nothing-has-to-be-changed-because-all-is-beautiful-that-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Inside the snow globe on my father's desk, there was a penguin wearing a red-and-white-striped scarf. When I was little my father would pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/inside-the-snow-globe-on-my-father-s-desk-there-was-a-penguin-wearing/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [Our lives are marked and shaped by our regrets. Things we all want to take back and can’t. In a perfect world, we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/our-lives-are-marked-and-shaped-by-our-regrets-things-we-all-want-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Zackary Connor's office building was made of glass, endless windows giving the impression of being outside. It was exactly how I liked nature--air conditioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-hanson/zackary-connor-s-office-building-was-made-of-glass-endless-windows/) [Caroline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-hanson/) > [In a perfect world, everybody would be gay. 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