367. Unbounded Life

When we talk about life, we tend to do so in individual terms. We focus on the life of the particular physical body that we have, which has a definite beginning and will have a definite ending. But as our awareness of the relationship between the individual self and the whole that is the world expands and deepens, the distinction between bodies becomes less important. We discover that each and every individual existence is continuously connected to the existence of others. This interdependence extends to the world itself, without which no individual life would be possible.

From this awareness, we learn to see life as a larger organism of which we are a part. We begin to wonder about the nature of this organism and its boundaries. Spatially, we know that life has only been found on our own planet, but there is nothing that necessarily limits it to here. If life was able to develop here, it is at least possible that it could also come into existence elsewhere. Temporally, we know that life likely had a beginning, which means there was a time when there was no life. But life does not seem to have any necessary end. It could carry on indefinitely, provided living organisms continue to be able to obtain the resources they need for survival and reproduction. Both spatially and temporally, life as a whole is far more unbounded than it is for us as individuals.

To see ourselves as part of this unbounded organism called life is to adopt a very different view of what is needed and necessary. Not only do we need to sustain and protect our natural environment, we must also ensure that our individual projects benefit the greater project of life itself. Realizing this, we become more passionate about life, and we work to contribute to its survival and advancement through compassionate and creative action.