“You have at least a million relatives as close as tenth cousin, and no one on Earth is any farther removed than your 50th cousin. With each breath, you take into your body 10 sextillion atoms, and--owing to the wind's ceaseless circulation--over a year's time you have intimate relations with oxygen molecules exhaled by every person alive, as well as by everyone who ever lived. Right now you may be carrying atoms that were once inside the lungs of Malcolm X, Christopher Columbus, Joan of Arc and Cleopatra.” We in the western world tend to think of ourselves as independent beings. We feel proud when we can say “I did it myself.” We admire people who accomplish great solo feats. We look up to the hero who “goes it alone.” But of course none of us does anything by ourselves, we never do anything solo, we never really go it alone. We’re all interconnected and interdependent. You are connected to everyone else on earth though the DNA that exists in every cell in your body and through the oxygen in every breath you take. Every molecule of your body used to be something else. You’re made of recycled bits of nature and are, right now, recycling materials that have been circulating through the natural world for billions of years. Feeling alone? Don’t! Take a deep breath and realize that you’re never ever alone. All of us on this brilliant earth are all interconnected and interdependent. Quote excerpt from the book, PRONOIA Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings by Rob Brezsney. Hands image courtesy of Flickr CC @Cara Photography Categories Natural Leadership Published on March 14, 2011 Tags biomimicry Denise DeLuca global innovation interconnected MCAD sustainable design online courses Sustainability sustainable design