DAY 12 – WE ARE ALL PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE

While vacationing on a small island I sat down on the beach with no one else around. Looking at the vast ocean and nothing but sea in front of me the quietness of the moment made me drift off into a daydreaming state of what it would be like to become stranded on an island and not know where I am.

I saw myself wandering around this unknown island trying to find someone to tell me how I could get back to a port but couldn’t find any other human beings. It became disconcerting that I was alone with no one to talk to. Everything I needed to do, I had to do it by myself and had no way to leave this island. From finding food to eat, water to drink, securing shelter and withstanding nature’s wrath there was no one to give me a helping hand.

After a few days alone trying to survive I reflected back upon my life before I got stranded on this island. There were so many people in my life and so many things I had and did.

I thought of my teachers, when I was in school, helping me to learn new things. I thought of the volunteer coaches in my youth sports helping me to get better while giving me needed encouragement. I thought of the doctors and nurses helping me when I was ill or had a broken bone. Most importantly, I remembered my parents showing me what real love is like and giving me guidance that has lasted a lifetime.

Growing up in an urban setting I would go to my neighborhood stores to buy the things I needed and wanted. I knew they were made in manufacturing facilities that often were located in my nation or in far away places. I thought of the workers who produced, transported and sold the products that I have. What I came to understand while alone and stranded was that there are so many known and unknown human beings that are essential in helping me to have and do the things that make my life more enjoyable and better.

I also thought of my role in the lives of other people. I was the worker helping others to have things they might need or want. I was the other person to someone in my relationships with them and how I positively or negatively contributed to their well-being. Staying alone on this island with it’s beautiful landscapes made my past actions clearer in how I impacted the earth.

When I stopped daydreaming it dawned on me that I now realize that all of us are intertwined with each other and our earth in immeasurable ways. People need one another to have the life that we live. Humanity has so much more because we do not have to go it alone. All of us are part of the bigger whole.