Realizing your own insignificance

@JodiLynn (1417)
United States
January 11, 2010 9:16am CST
A few years back I had a run in with cancer. It did a few things besides leave a wicked scar, but mostly, it made me realize my insignificance as a human being. Taking stock of ones mortality is an life altering experience, if done correctly, a growth process too. If you ever feel the need to experience this, stand at the edge of an ocean, or a high mesa, or the top of a mountain, or watch the discovery & National Geographic channels alot. We are as unique as grains of sand in so many ways, yet we see our selves as living testament to the good (or bad) we've done, what we've achieved, singularly important...but that really bears no weight on potential human history. Most of us are not the Jonas Salk's or Michelangelo's of our times, are we? Sadly, the answer is no. What is the legacy we leave, other than money & possessions, that really MATTER, in the grand scheme of things? Many will say that the children we bear are the legacy to humanity, but is a human infant really the shining star of ALL of natures majesty? Surely a mother/father penguin/bear/cougar/moose/marmoset feels theirs is the best, most amazing progeny ever spawned...as we do? In the end, the smallest creatures will remain, not US, humans. The creepy crawlies will have dominion, those creatures that spawn by the tens of thousands, who never actively parent their offspring, yet we believe we are superior. What will YOU, ultimately, leave humanity with, whats your contribution? Eulogies try to depict how others see us. What is the ONE thing you most want them to say about you when you pass? That you were benevolent? Courageous? Loving? What if you were none of those things? What if you were just the average Joe or Jo Shmoe, who lived a simple life, worked hard, had a few kids, sent them out into the world to do as you did, like most folks do? What if we really aren't special after all?
1 person likes this
2 responses
artistry
@artistry (4151)
• United States
12 Jan 10
...Hi there JodiLynn, Hope that all is well with you. I have at some time in the past have asked myself, as well as asking the Lord, why am I here? Well, in one instance I know, we are supposed to glorify God, honor him with good works, by not being selfish, and obeying the ten commandments, if you want to be literal. I came away with the answer that those I meet, if I can help them in some way, I will. More than half my life is over and so I feel that there is no great contribution I have to give at this point or I think He would have let me give it. I can only try to be the nicest that I can, to my fellow man or woman, and let whatever I have done, be what people remember me by. We are soon forgotten anyway, so we go forth with our best intentions and say thank you for an interestimg journey. Take very good care.
trruk1
@trruk1 (1028)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I quit worrying about how the world would view me after I am gone a long time ago. I thought seriously about this subject and its importance and decided it was irrelevant. What does matter is what will the people close to me think tomorrow about what I have done today.A robotics engineer was once asked if progress in artificial intelligence combined with enormous increases in the ability to design and build robots would someday lead to a human-created robotic entity that would replace humanity. He replied, "I certainly hope so." What he meant was the natural order of things lead to a proliferation of one species over another if it is better suited to survive. So if we can create a device that can do everything we do but do it better, is not subject to disease, can easily repair any injury, and is overall better able to survive, that device will win the contest for survival. And it should. Thanks for having a serious thought on this site, rather than "Do you prefer your toilet paper to roll off the top or the bottom?"