What I Really Believe!

I saw this picture with the caption above it and just had to share it. I believe we have looked so hard at what separates us from the crowd that we’ve failed to see what makes us all alike. In 2002, a group of geneticists concluded that the difference in the genetics between the two most diverse individuals they could find was less than 0.1%. That means in 99.9% of their genetic makeup was identical. That very dark child and the very light child look so different but they are, genetically speaking, virtually the same. To hate either one because of those minute differences is inconceivable to me!

The family of humankind consists of people who appear to be quite different but, in all reality, the differences have more to do with what we have experienced than anything else. What we see is not as critical as what is in our hearts. Where we are from is not nearly as important as where we intend to go. How we get to our destination should not concern us as much as who will travel with us on our journey. There will be less room for hate in our lives if we fill our hearts with love!

If I am to love my life, I must personally be aware of how my life connects to the rest of the biosphere. To believe that my life can exist independently from all else that lives is to demonstrate a lack of understanding as to how life actually works. My very existence is dependent upon so many other living organisms that if I tried to list them all, I would surely miss some. Some I would miss due to oversight but many I would miss due to a lack of awareness.

If we truly believe that we can ignore the messages our living planet is sending us without facing dire consequences, then we have learned very little in our time on this blue dot in the universe. We are both significant and so highly insignificant, all at the same time. We are significant in that no matter how small our actions may seem to be, they can have a huge ripple effect on our world. One act of malice can rot away the fabric of a community, while one act of kindness can instill hope in dozens. When we intentionally try to make a difference we always do. We might not see how at the time, but eventually, that good will grow and take on a life of its own. At this same time, as we are acting here on Earth, what we do is imperceptible to more than 99.99999% of the universe. Of all the mass that exists, our earth is less than a molecule of water in all the oceans on earth by comparison. We are each significant to humanity but so insignificant universally.

What does all this mean to me, just one out of 7.7 billion people. I may be insignificant in our universe but I can make a difference in the existence of every living thing I touch. That can only happen if I am willing to take personal responsibility for what I do. Knowing that every action I take has consequences, I can choose to be a force for good or a force for bad. Doing good is a conscious choice. If I do not choose to actively participate in behaviors that are good for our planet and my fellow humans, I leave the consequences of my actions up to chance. I believe that we have operated on autopilot for way too long. It’s time for each of us to be intentional. We all need to do what’s right. That requires us to pay attention to what we do. It requires us to be aware of the consequences of our actions. It requires us to think first and act later. Our neighbors are depending us and so is everything else!