My Place in Life

I was thinking last night. You know that guy with the new car you're a little envious of? Has he ever been curious about what sand looks like under a microscope? Your neighbor that has the huge house you might be dreaming of living in? Does he recognize the poetry of the Periodic Table of the Elements? That guy that's climbed the ladder to CEO you admire? Is he awed by the elegant structure of the universe? Do they stop to marvel at the drop of rain magnifying a tiny, green insect on a leaf? Do they know to be humbled by the exquisite dance of DNA? Probably not. They don’t stop long enough to be awestruck by the splendor of it all. They spend their entire lives achieving and no time living. How sad for them.

I don't have a brand new car. I don't live in the fanciest house, don't wear the flashiest clothes, or have the most impressive job title. That's not what it's about. It's about kindness, inquisitiveness, and reverence for the recognition of my place in it all. 

Song of Myself

I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journeywork of the stars,
And the pismire is equally perfect, and a grain of sand, and the egg of the wren,
And the tree-toad is a chef-d’oeuvre for the highest,
And the running blackberry would adorn the parlors of heaven,
And the narrowest hinge in my hand puts to scorn all machinery,
And the cow crunching with depress’d head surpasses any statue,
And a mouse is miracle enough to stagger sextillions of infidels.”
― Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, 31

A Spiral Arm Of The Milky Way And Our Place In The Cosmos

I've actually experienced this. A few years ago I was vacationing in Puerto Rico and spent a few days on the island of Vieques. I was alone on a beach one night away from any artificial light. The nearest arm of the galaxy stretched from one horizon to the other. I stood there watching in awe for about two hours. It was just me, the waves washing up on shore, and the Milky Way. I felt as if the galaxy and I shared some kind of private intimacy and kinship. It was my seductive and mysterious partner, sharing with me and only me its immense and sacred secrets. To say I was overwhelmed and humbled with my tiny yet significant and necessary place in the cosmos sounds contradictory, but it's the best description of the power and weight of the moment. 

A stunning video of this can be seen at the link below.

https://vimeo.com/211656397