“We each matter immeasurably.”
It is a strange and wonderful fact to be here, walking around in a body,
to have a whole world within you and a world at your fingertips outside you.
-JOHN O'DONOHUE-
As I read this quote this morning, I thought of this poem I wrote a couple of years ago, out on a run:
What Holds Us
(On a run), I consider my physical body, first created by my parents.
Decades later it carries me and I carry it; we know how to compromise.
It’s an amazing venture; these trillions of cells and thousands of miles of lifelines.
The ground beneath me is stable, even while our planet rotates and revolves.
Gravity holds me here, on this day, in this millennium. Seasons change,
tides ebb and flow, mountains rise, as do the sun and moon.
Awe and humility preside.
The power and particles of the Universe are within you and me, and also boundless.
Physical matter, elemental and atomic matter; they all matter infinitely.
We are but tiny specks in a timeless history, yet we each matter immeasurably.
-Lisa Valentine-
It is a strange and wonderful venture to be here, today, in this century, on this planet. The world within me has blood flowing, cells generating, joints working, muscles stretching, digestion happening, thoughts forming. Such a vehicle needs good self-care. Be kind and gentle with yourself Lisa.
And the world at my fingertips? Outside of me, Nature is dishing up today’s weather, the refrigerator hums, our dog sleeps near me, electricity and water flow. Such a world needs our care. and kind attention.
If we can experience even a little everyday awe at our very existence, we can extend that awe and appreciation to one another. You and I and our planet are marvels. “We each matter immeasurably.” Draw on this boundless energy when you look in the mirror and when you meet others along your day’s journey.
