Of the 7 billion people on the planet, you are just one. You're an individual, a sole traveler on the journey of your life, surrounded by friends and family when young, yet you tend to feel alone, like no one understands you around the age of 20. There is just this feeling, residing within you that no one understands what you are going through, what you have personally endured. No one know who you are, they just know what you've done, or said. No one can read your mind, no one can hear the thoughts whizzing around inside your head.
But.. At the same time, you are part of a bigger picture. The most amazing picture in our world.. The interconnection of all life. You may not think about it much, having your own stresses and worries, your own hopes and thoughts and joys in your day to day routine. You may not think about the fact that someone else on the other side of the world, who doesn't even speak your language has affected your life. You may not think about the fact that everything you do, everything you buy and every interaction you make affects those around you.
In getting the food to your house you have already been affected by the people who prepared that food, or picked it, those who cleaned it, examined it to make sure it was (semi)edible, packed it, shipped it, accepted it, and then stocked it on the shelf. You have been affected by the cashier, and the people who made the bags you use to carry your groceries. Such a simple concept, a bag. You put several individual items into it that can be more easily carried, and suddenly, simply, you can carry far more than just with your hands. Someone thousands of years ago came up with that concept, before humanity even began. Even they affect your life, in their own way.
I first had this type of thought when I was 12. It shattered me in some ways... Not in a good way, not in a bad way. It just broke a lot of things at the time that seemed important, and shook the very foundation of the information I'd gleaned at the time. I had the thoughts while walking home from the store (Walmart), and I remember I was gazing up at the sky, thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. Suddenly, I started thinking about all the various jobs that exist in this world. Teachers, professors, accountants, lawyers, aides, stockers, cashiers, delivery drivers, sales reps, customer service representatives, managers, actors, actresses, carpenters, plumbers, factory workers, fast food people, hospitality people, bus drivers, cab drivers, airplane pilots, the entire military. It just seemed to spiral outward out of control, and I felt very insignificant.
Now, I don't feel as insignificant. I am part of my own life, as you are part of yours. If you died, someone would miss you. If you disappeared, someone would notice. Sure, the corporations, the nameless faceless organizations that seem to run our world wouldn't necessarily notice the loss, but other people would.
This world has such an abundance of opportunity. There are so many things to experience, to think of, to talk about, and yet people get bored. They want video games and funny cat pictures, hot models and “awesome athletes”. People want to be entertained. I'm entertained by thinking of things like this. Thinking of how similar we are to the trees we think are incapable of feeling.
No two leaves are exactly identical. No two trees go through the exact same thing. If you've ever felt the energy of a forest- by that I mean the very feelings it evokes within you, as opposed to nicely planted trees in a park that are all in parallel lines. But I guess what I am trying to say here is... No matter who you are, no matter what you're going through, someone has been where you are. Someone knows how you feel. Don't ever feel alone, you're part of something amazing and beautiful. Enjoy it!
But.. At the same time, you are part of a bigger picture. The most amazing picture in our world.. The interconnection of all life. You may not think about it much, having your own stresses and worries, your own hopes and thoughts and joys in your day to day routine. You may not think about the fact that someone else on the other side of the world, who doesn't even speak your language has affected your life. You may not think about the fact that everything you do, everything you buy and every interaction you make affects those around you.
In getting the food to your house you have already been affected by the people who prepared that food, or picked it, those who cleaned it, examined it to make sure it was (semi)edible, packed it, shipped it, accepted it, and then stocked it on the shelf. You have been affected by the cashier, and the people who made the bags you use to carry your groceries. Such a simple concept, a bag. You put several individual items into it that can be more easily carried, and suddenly, simply, you can carry far more than just with your hands. Someone thousands of years ago came up with that concept, before humanity even began. Even they affect your life, in their own way.
I first had this type of thought when I was 12. It shattered me in some ways... Not in a good way, not in a bad way. It just broke a lot of things at the time that seemed important, and shook the very foundation of the information I'd gleaned at the time. I had the thoughts while walking home from the store (Walmart), and I remember I was gazing up at the sky, thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. Suddenly, I started thinking about all the various jobs that exist in this world. Teachers, professors, accountants, lawyers, aides, stockers, cashiers, delivery drivers, sales reps, customer service representatives, managers, actors, actresses, carpenters, plumbers, factory workers, fast food people, hospitality people, bus drivers, cab drivers, airplane pilots, the entire military. It just seemed to spiral outward out of control, and I felt very insignificant.
Now, I don't feel as insignificant. I am part of my own life, as you are part of yours. If you died, someone would miss you. If you disappeared, someone would notice. Sure, the corporations, the nameless faceless organizations that seem to run our world wouldn't necessarily notice the loss, but other people would.
This world has such an abundance of opportunity. There are so many things to experience, to think of, to talk about, and yet people get bored. They want video games and funny cat pictures, hot models and “awesome athletes”. People want to be entertained. I'm entertained by thinking of things like this. Thinking of how similar we are to the trees we think are incapable of feeling.
No two leaves are exactly identical. No two trees go through the exact same thing. If you've ever felt the energy of a forest- by that I mean the very feelings it evokes within you, as opposed to nicely planted trees in a park that are all in parallel lines. But I guess what I am trying to say here is... No matter who you are, no matter what you're going through, someone has been where you are. Someone knows how you feel. Don't ever feel alone, you're part of something amazing and beautiful. Enjoy it!
