Alexander Gerst has been observing the violence in Gaza from a distance—a distance of 205 miles. The German astronaut, currently aboard the International Space Station, sent out a tweet yesterday describing what he called “my saddest photo yet.”

How strange—and depressing—it is that a human who has traveled to space through the wonders of science, technology, and human progress is sitting out there right now, witnessing his fellow humans blowing each other up with bombs and missiles over border disputes and ancient religious differences.

The International Space Station is proof that it is possible for us to work together and achieve great things as humans. It’s a symbol of international collaboration, a project where scientists and engineers from different countries set aside their differences to explore the cosmos. And yet, the dead bodies piling up in Gaza—and in countless other places around the world—serve as a stark reminder that we still have a long way to go.

Humans are obviously capable of great accomplishments and wonderful acts of kindness. We’ve landed on the Moon, mapped the human genome, and even created a floating laboratory orbiting the Earth. And although I’m not overly optimistic at this moment, I do hope that one day we will come to realize that slaughtering each other with machine guns and explosives is not the most productive way to resolve our disputes.

Imagine what we could achieve if we redirected the billions spent on weapons and war to more constructive purposes. The money and technology used to build bombs, missiles, and fighter jets could be put to better use feeding the world, educating ourselves, protecting our environment, and exploring our galaxy.

The view from space should remind us of our shared humanity and the fragile planet we all call home. From 205 miles above the Earth, there are no visible borders, no flags, no religions—just one world, one species, with the potential to do so much more.

I hope one day we’ll look back on the conflicts of our past and wonder why it took us so long to realize that cooperation, not conflict, is the way forward.

Author: Nick Allison is just a banged-up Army Infantry vet of the War in Iraq. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife, their children and two big, dumb, ugly mongrel dogs. Don’t take anything he says too seriously… he’s just trying to figure out this ride we call existence like everyone else. Also, he enjoys writing his own bio in third-person because it probably makes him feel more important.

Please feel free to send your love letters and hate mail to nick.chaossection@gmail.com.