The Gift of Individuality

"We are all One" is a phrase that we hear quite a bit of these days.  Even the car commercials are parroting this catchphrase, along with "we're all in this together" and many others that I have begun to think of as Covid-19 lingo. The advertising industry seems to be using this shared experience as a way to tug on our heartstrings in an effort to sell more products, which I can't fault them for, because that is just what they do.  But it does make me think about the nature of experience itself.  While it is true that we are all interconnected and should always have an awareness of how what we do impacts those around us, I am reminded this morning that each one of us is a unique being who has an individual life experience.

 Out walking on this rainy morning, I feel the soft raindrops on my face and see the early light diffusing through muted gray clouds in a way that will never happen again precisely the same. I hear a bird chorus that is composed only for this morning, this moment in time, and I realize what a gift it is, not only to be alive with all my senses, but to be having an experience that no one else is having in exactly the same way at exactly the same time. My perception is mine alone. The gift that God has given, to me, to each of us, is to simply be me and to express my individuality to others in a way that in some small way, enriches their lives  and the world around me.

I remember reading a book on quantum physics once and, while I admit, my understanding of the difficult concepts was limited, one thing struck me as profound: because an infinite universe has no center and extends in all directions eternally, any given point could actually be considered the center, from which everything extends. So, in essence, each one of us might be considered to be the center of the universe, with no one "center" being more significant than any other.  I may be interpreting what I read differently than an astrophysicist would, but it makes sense if you think about it long enough.

 I realize this is the kind of stuff that can make your head spin a little if you ponder it too long, but I think the message that we can take with us, for today, the message that I will hold in my heart, is that I am a uniquely created being, cherished by a loving God, who, miraculously, amazingly, sees me and each one of us as significant parts of an intricate web of life.

Breathe deeply, use all you senses, be mindful, cherish the gift of your uniqueness...