The influence of connectedness

“Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never Is, but always To be blest.
The soul, uneasy, and confin'd from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.”

― Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man

How many times have I come to what I thought was the end of my rope, only to find that there was more rope. Drawing in breath is itself an act of hope though unconscious, an effort of life to sustain life. The body collaborates with non-human organisms to extract nutrients from our food that sustain us as we move about the day. The heart beats without rest every moment of our lives. These things are all votes in favor of life, to the very last breath.

I am grateful for the continuity that this implies. I am grateful for those whom I carefully consider, as I contemplate what effect I may have had, and am having, on those in my past and present life. In the latter third of my life, it’s these thoughts that are sustaining. I want to continue to be a positive influence as long as I have breath.

Entangled

It’s impossible
To encompass a sufficient understanding
Of the ties that exist
among ourselves and living things.
Invisible
connections vibrate,
Unseen, the way
the glistening, dewy web
Is,
Of a hidden spider
Who rids my garden of pests.

Across time and distance
These connections extend, effortlessly
Providing a tactile resonance
Of all the vibrations
That have begun
Unknowingly,
Through thoughts and actions
That we create.

As long as time exists
We are entangled, connected
With history and present
Of living beings, through memory and influence.
Let us be mindful of the power of creation.
- C. Scribner © 3/2/20