Connectedness

In seeing the movie Avatar yesterday, I left the theater with several things rolling through my head. Among them was how everything on Pandora was connected, not only spiritually but also through a "vast bio-botanical neural network."

I found it fascinating that the native humanoids, the Na'vi, could connect to life around them not only in a spiritual way alone, or by the touch of a hand, but by interconnecting a part of themselves with a similar part found in both plant and animals of their world. This ability to physically and psychically connect with other life likely developed a culture that holds a great respect for all life. They believe there is a life-energy that flows through themselves and every other life form, interconnecting them.

My husband noted that those who work closely with nature may better understand how a life can be connected to the non-human life around you: the chickens laying eggs, the plants growing in the fields, the bees needed to pollinate those plants, and all other insect, plant and animal life that may help or hinder your efforts to procure food or goods from the land. He speaks of a thankfulness one feels for all that contributed when it’s harvested and ready for consumption or use.

As a child, my food came from the supermarket, not the fields. Many times I've said a prayer before the meal, but never associated what was on the plate with "life." While I learned differently since childhood, scenes where the Na'vi did not let another life suffer needlessly and thanked their kills for the food, brought it home again inside me.

There is another aspect of connectedness I took from the movie as well. I believe we're connected to all other human beings in this world. Much as we separate ourselves from nature behind shuttered windows, walls and doors, we also strive to separate ourselves from each other in this world. We draw lines on a map, categorize what "race" or ethnic-background with which we identify ourselves, amplify gender-gaps, box ourselves in organization charts, divide ourselves by religious beliefs, etc.

But we are all human beings. A smile is a smile, readily exchanged with another. We are all one race on one small planet. And we are not the only life in this world.

When was the last time I walked outside my door to connect with another life in this world? Another human being? The fact that I have to think to answer that question is sad. And is something I should remedy...

One human race.
One small world.
Connected.

-ESA