Iterations

When I was little, I discovered something profound.

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Atoms look like solar systems.

We barely understand the atom, and we hardly understand our solar system. It's logical, then, to wonder: if our galaxy was an atom in some massive creature, what is that creature to us? If my own cells contain atoms orbited by tiny inhabitable planets, then what am I to them?

I would be like their God.

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And if my own existence and everything I know on this Earth inhabits a particle of a cell of some great cosmic entity, then what am I to that great being?

Not insignificant, actually.

Now, before I completely lose the biologists and physicists among you, I am aware that the similarities I see between micro and macro aren't exact, that I'm not the first person to think of this, and that there aren't civilizations of tiny people living on my electrons.

But I didn't know any of this at age 10, and what I did know is the kind of truth I've heard described as hyper-reality - meaning it works in the real world, even if the details aren't objectively true.

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As the conscious life force that animates my cells, I have tremendous power over them - even though I am scarcely aware of their individual struggles. Decisions that I make affect them greatly - I scratch my back and several living cells are wiped out; I drink too many beers and suffer the demise of hundreds, or thousands.

_{From the best Futurama episode ever}

Speaking of decisions that affect the thousands of tiny entities that make up my own body, did you know we had a hardfork? It smashed a lot of us flat. And that's all I have to say about that. (Thank you @tarazkp)

So the profound thing, to me, is not the idea that there may be a greater power making decisions that affect me.

It's that the actions of the smallest entities matter just as much.

Let's say my cells have a sentience of their own. For all I know, they do. After all, they do have autonomy and their own drive to survive. Without needing to be aware of me, they act in my best interest - in the interest of the greater good - even at times sacrificing their own needs.

Every action of these cells, every protein created and every waste product produced, becomes part of who I am. There is no part of me that isn't produced by these tiny iterations of life. In both the literal and figurative sense, each living cell matters. Without them, I don't exist.

Life is Iterative

There are so many implications of this, it could be a series of much longer posts. Health implications. Spiritual implications. Implications for the future of the Steem ecosystem (thanks @davemccoy).

I think for today I'll leave it there. I'm anxious to find out if I'll actually be able to post. Here goes!