Perspective

"I am a living soul dwelling on a planet that is afloat in a universe radiant with life. I feel so small and at the same time so uniquely privileged to partake in that inconceivable mystery."

- Yossi Ghinsberg,

Israeli adventurer, author, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and motivational speaker

It is all too easy to think our problems are unique, large and all-encompassing. I have felt that way many times as I get lost in my thoughts of "How did this happen?", "What should I do?", and even some self-pitying, "Why me?" questions.

And then I take a walk. Under the big sky. Among hundreds of trees. At night, the milky way adds depth to the night sky already filled with uncountable points of light. The scale of nature puts my worries, so full of immediacy and importance, into a tiny space among the clouds, trees and stars.

Our drought ridden landscape holds lessons of patient and unworried waiting. The plants withdraw, the birds are still, and even the dried carpets of moss are full of tiny organisms called tardigrades who are awaiting the moisture that will allow them to move again. I don't hear a peep of "Why me?" from the living creatures.

And even though nature is patiently waiting, I start to feel hopeless about rain ever releasing in abundance again. Then the drops patter. Now they pound. And then a steady rain falls.

I want to be more like the microscopic tardigrades, calmly and patiently waiting for what I need to solve my problems. Most likely these problems are not the end of the world, but just a tiny blip in a much bigger picture. That much bigger picture is beautiful and I don't want to miss it because I'm focused on unimportant details.