Welcoming Smallness

“Everything that can be found in the universe on a large scale is reflected in a human being on a small scale.” ~Franz Bardon

One day, I took a walk in nature. Most of the time, I listen to music while walking. But on this day, I felt called to walk in silence, allowing me to notice patterns that I would otherwise not have seen with the distraction of music.

As I made my way onto the beach and pushed my toes underneath the warm sand, I took a look around, keenly aware of all the individual parts that made up the many wholes around me: the multitudinous grains of sand that amassed to form a beach, the countless drops of water that accumulated to form a lake, the profusion of stars that assembled to brighten the night sky.

It was through silence and observation that I could more fully absorb my surroundings. God opened my eyes to a pattern present in nature that perhaps we are meant to reflect in our lives. A single grain of sand, one drop of water, one star in the sky—all have something in common. They are all small parts of a greater whole that undeniably play a role yet can’t overinflate their importance, for they are no more than a single speck on God’s grand canvas.

It reminded me of the importance of self-forgetfulness. We’re not unlike the single grains of sand, the individual drops of water, or the stars in the sky. We are each one piece of a greater whole and cannot overinflate our importance. More often than not, we need reminders of our smallness. The mystery is that accepting our smallness somehow offers a sense of peace. It makes us realize that the world is not on our fragile shoulders. We don’t have to carry the weight we inflict upon ourselves.

I urge you to spend time in nature when your world becomes too big, particularly when you’re growing anxious. Humble yourself amongst the trees, the water, the grass. Remind yourself that they, like you, play a small part in a bigger story.​

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Photocred: Unsplash