Earlier this year, I wrote a fun little article about death [it’s a pretty good time if you are looking for something to brighten up your day (but seriously, it’s not bad)]. Now I am writing an article about life. Isn’t that nifty? I really just wanted to showcase my liberal arts education the best way I could and what’s more liberal arts than a discussion about life itself?!
Have you taken a moment lately to step back from it all and just try to comprehend how insane this whole “life” thing really is? If not let be your spiritual and intellectual guide on this journey to comprehend (don’t worry I’m more than qualified as an opinions columnist for a small college newspaper). First let’s think about this big picture: imagine you are standing on top of a mountain as many of you have before ‘cus SLU is SO outdoor-sy. Think back to that experience as you look out onto the horizon and see the other mountains and the rolling planes of this existence. The mountain you are standing on was formed thousands of years before you were born by MOVING PLATES of the earth’s surface. Then you look at all thousands of trees that make up the horizon forming one large green mass. Remember that each of those trees have thousands of leaves none exactly the same of the other. And YOU get to experience that!
Never been on a mountain? No problem, you have read a paper before. You, a glorified & “evolved” bungle of the same stuff that makes up dirt (matter), are looking at these words on paper (matter ) written by another less glorified and even less evolved bungle of stuff, me! And you UNDERSTAND IT. It’s absolutely amazing that we have this ability to think and understand, while less fortunate matter are simply there, existing as a rock (unable to read this thoughtful but poorly written article). We live in this complex beautiful world observe it and can articulate this with other fortunate results (more fortunate than that aforementioned rock) of this thing called reality!
You should be yelling with amazement right now! If you aren’t, please reread the last two paragraphs.
But what makes it even more amazing is that like those aforementioned leaves in the aforementioned mountain range, we as individuals are unique. Everyone looks differently, thinks differently, sneezes differently, and acts differently but we all are sharing this reality. INSANE.
Now because we all think differently because of our different backgrounds [no two people have lived the exact same experience (and that’s beautiful)], we all see things kinda differently. Subjectively, you see the mountain range differently from me. You may see natural beauty another might see a desirable place to clear the trees and build houses. They’re different but equally important outlooks on reality because everyone’s outlook on a particular “thing” is part of that thing’s greater being. We all as individuals contribute a part to aspect of reality. It’s called pluralism, look it up!
Anyway, this brings me to what I wanted to say. Life is this beautiful thing that we don’t really understand, but we are so fortunate to experience as humans. We each play a vital role in contributing to reality’s truth. The worst thing you could do is not experience the way only you can or to limit another in their experience. Everyone’s life and outlook is precious, don’t forget that. So play nice.
No Spitting