An ode to life

An ode to life

Mitochondrion, an organelle in the cell. Without it, we would have no energy to live; without it, life as we know it would not exist. The most accepted thesis about its origin is that of a bacterium living in symbiosis within the cell. A bacterium, isn’t that dangerous? No, it’s not.

Birth, from a nearly sterile environment to a place full of life. During a natural birth process, the baby will absorb many bacteria and other microorganisms. Isn’t that dangerous? No, it’s not. Babies born through caesarean section will not absorb as much of the mother's microorganisms and show later in life a weaker immune system and are therefore more often sick.

Children growing up on a farm are in contact with many more microorganisms, like bacteria, fungi, viruses, as the children growing up in a more sterile environment in the city. Isn’t that dangerous? No, it’s not. The children in a more dirty environment have fewer allergies in adult life than the ones growing up in clean surroundings.

From life, through life, to life. The more diverse the micro biome in and on us is, the healthier we are. Let’s have a look at how it works in farming. A monoculture needs many pesticides and other treatments to avoid the loss of the whole crop. The more varied the culture, the less chemical intervention is needed. To a point, like in permaculture, where the balance in nature is so perfect that all living parts have a chance to thrive, without one taking over. It’s a community.

The skin flora protects the skin from sickness. Harmful bacteria or viruses will be kept in such low counts that they cannot do any harm. The more varied the skin microbiota is the healthier the skin. Why would you want to destroy this with alcohol or other disinfectant agents? Wouldn’t this be dangerous? Yes, it would.

The gut flora makes digestion possible. Without the whole panoply of the microorganisms living inside of us, we could not live. The more varied the gut microbiota is the healthier we are, the better our immune system works, the happier we feel. A potentially harmful bacterium or virus cannot do any harm. The community of bacteria, fungi and viruses will balance it out. Why would you want to destroy this by taking antibiotics? Wouldn’t this be dangerous? Yes, it would.

During our childhood and later life, we learn so many things. We learn to interact within our world. We learn to adapt, we learn to cope and have an infinite pool of wisdom and knowledge at our disposal. The more varied our knowledge and the live experience is the better we can interact within our world. A potentially harmful concept cannot take our mind over. The multitude of experiences and concepts will balance it out. Why would you want to believe only in one truth? Wouldn’t that be dangerous? Yes, it would.

The worlds we inhabit are so vast that we cannot apprehend the magnitude of them. What we don’t know, we fear. Why should we? As biology shows us, the symbiotic community will balance things out. There is nothing to fear, there is NO thing to be afraid of. The organic being is not composed of a digital code, the organic being is not good or bad, the organic being has a multitude of possibilities. A forest untouched by a human hand will self-regulate perfectly. There is no sickness ravaging a whole species, there is no danger taking over. Let’s step back into this forest of life. Let’s trust again the organic intelligence.

We are alive. We have a life worth living. Whatever obstacle or danger might catch our eye, don’t worry, the symbiotic community within and without will balance it out.

Seek the fullness, seek the variety, seek the communion with all-natural aspects of life. There is no need to hide, no need to protect, no need to avoid. But there is a need to touch, a need to taste, a need to embrace.

And when the physical form is reabsorbed into the forest ground, the spirit lives on. The memory is shared, the presence is felt, the souvenir is tangible. The thought of the unknown journey towards the life below the roots of trees might trigger fear. Don’t be afraid, nature’s intelligence will take care of everything. All experiences, feelings, thoughts and expressions are part of the big whole that make out what we are. Death is as much part of life as is life itself. Physical distance, as painful as it may be, gives place to another level of closeness.

Each tear that hits the ground will nurture a seed to sprout.

A new beginning. A new cell; and inside this cell is a mitochondrion. Together with other mitochondria. They are part of us. We are part of others. Each time you smile, part of you stays with the observer. Each time you express life, part of it will ripple through the community.

Live, smile, thrive - you are alive.

Life