How connected are we?

Do you feel like a separate human being or do you feel part of the greater whole? Many people think that we are completely different beings, totally isolated from each other, and that interconnectedness or being part of a whole is a new-age belief that is totally wrong. But is it?

Just from a scientific viewpoint, we and the rest of the universe are made up of basic elements, and everything consists of a mix of these various molecular particles. In actual fact, we exchange atoms with each other by touch, and we are constantly breathing in particles floating through the air.

Matter is never destroyed, but constantly recycled, which means that we could even be breathing in atoms from the dust of a Pharaoh's mummy or a Roman soldier!

Are we a part of nature? I would say so, as we eat fruit from trees and drink water that originates in lakes and rivers. The food we eat enables our bodies to grow and heal
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It's true that we share DNA not only with our family members, but with thousands of other people from whom we are descended in the distant past. It is becoming popular to have a DNA test to see from where in the world our particular family originated, and for some people the results can be a shock. All of us have a proportion of Caucasian, African and Eastern blood within us. The proportions vary but there is no denying that we share many common ancestors, so does that make us connected to one another?

How have you made your mark in the world? Have you been the cause of someone's happiness or distress? Every action has a reaction, and that is never so true as in human interaction. Words that you say and actions that you take affect other people every day, and theirs affect you. In fact, people in a position of power have tremendous influence, and just a few words can have far-reaching consequences on millions of lives.

Perhaps we have souls which are separate? What do you think? I believe we have all been created, and all return to that creator in some form. No-one really knows, and that is a matter for your individual belief. My personal belief is that the energy we have created during our life, such as our emotions, thoughts, actions and places we have seen and people we have loved, do live on in some form, so we could argue that we are separate on a soul level.

But whilst we live in these bodies on this earth, an immense part of our essence is connected to each other. That fact should help us to see that when one person is hurting, part of us is hurting too. Knowing this should make us more compassionate to each other and cause us to give help where it is needed and accept help when we need solace ourselves.

Take a moment to feel the brotherhood and sisterhood of your fellow human beings and live this day doing your part to make all humanity a better world in whatever small way you can.