I Am Earth

Earth Day is April 22. It's Wednesday this year, and many celebrations occurred this weekend.  As part of Takoma Park's activities, I taught a yoga class at Willow Street's Takoma Park studio.

I'm struck by how strong my identity is - my feeling that I'm separate and apart from the world around me - a human living in the world.  When the obvious, undeniable truth is that I'm part of Earth.  I am built from it, molecule by molecule, assembled into a particular form, a living system of energy and nutrient gathering and complex regulatory systems that can maintain me albeit with constant change, for a few years.

My life is dependent, each minute, on the oxygen I breathe - provided to me by other living things; on water that I need frequently, and food that I need regularly.  If Earth can't provide those things to me, I cannot live.

I am Earth
assembled
from a microscopic kit
containing its own instructions.

Two cells joining to press Start on a life,
connected back through time to the origin of life -
a link in a long, unbroken, and still growing chain.

A unique organization of matter and energy
sustained breath by breath,
by energy assembled by other living things,
by water, cycled by the Sun.

I sense, I am aware, I am conscious
I am Earth, sensing, aware of, conscious of itself.
Not separate from Earth, observing it from a safe vantage point,
But part of Earth, completely dependent on its continued ability
to provide oxygen in clean air, fresh water, and ample food.