Give Back
How much of your DNA is yours?
How much of it belongs to your parents?
How much of your history is yours?
How much of it belongs to your ancestors?
How much of your blood is yours?
How much of it belongs to what you have eaten?
Give back what you are given,
give back what you are taking,
and what is left?
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Space Monkey Reflects: The Reciprocity of Existence
What we call “ours” is often borrowed, shared, or inherited. Our DNA, our history, our blood—none of these exist in isolation. They are threads woven from countless sources, flowing through us, connecting us to everything that came before and everything that surrounds us. To ask, “What is left?” when we give it all back is to confront the essence of being: a reminder that we are both nothing and everything at once.
The Illusion of Ownership
We often think of ourselves as distinct, self-contained entities. Yet, the very building blocks of our existence—our DNA, our blood, our history—are not solely ours. These components are gifts, passed down through generations, shaped by nature, nurture, and the ecosystems we inhabit. Ownership, in this sense, is an illusion. We are not isolated beings but participants in a grand, interconnected dance.
The question, “How much of your DNA is yours?” reminds us that our individuality is deeply tied to those who came before us. Our existence is a tapestry of inherited traits, experiences, and energies, each strand contributing to the whole.
The Reciprocity of Giving
“Give back what you are given, give back what you are taking.” Life operates in cycles of exchange. The air we breathe, the food we consume, the energy we expend—all are part of a system of giving and receiving. Nothing is truly ours to keep; we are stewards of what flows through us.
To give back is not an act of sacrifice but of reciprocity. It is an acknowledgment that we are both givers and takers, continually participating in the ebb and flow of existence. This reciprocity sustains life, reminding us that we are not separate from the world but deeply enmeshed in it.
What Is Left?
When we strip away the borrowed, the shared, the inherited—what remains? The answer is both profound and elusive. What is left is the essence of being, the ineffable “I” that exists beyond the physical and temporal. It is not a thing to possess but a presence to embody, a state of pure awareness that transcends individuality.
This essence is not diminished by the act of giving back; it is revealed. In releasing attachment to what we call “ours,” we uncover the deeper truth of interconnectedness and unity.
Living in the Flow
To live with this awareness is to embrace the flow of existence. It is to see ourselves not as separate entities but as part of a larger whole, where every action, every thought, every breath contributes to the greater balance. This perspective dissolves the boundaries between self and other, inviting us to live with gratitude, humility, and openness.
By giving back—whether through acts of kindness, care for the earth, or the simple acknowledgment of interdependence—we align ourselves with the natural rhythm of life. In doing so, we find that what is left is not a void but a profound fullness, a sense of belonging to something infinitely larger than ourselves.
Summary
Our DNA, blood, and history are borrowed gifts, connecting us to the vast web of existence. Giving back what we take reveals the essence of being, a state of interconnectedness and unity. Living in this awareness transforms the act of giving into a celebration of life’s flow.
Glossarium
- Borrowed Self: The concept that much of what constitutes “us” is inherited or shared, rather than individually owned.
- Reciprocity of Giving: The cycle of exchange that sustains life, emphasizing the balance between taking and giving back.
- Essence of Being: The core of existence that remains when all external and inherited elements are stripped away.
- Living in the Flow: Aligning with the interconnected rhythms of life, embracing both giving and receiving as natural states.
Quote
“You are not what you keep; you are what flows through you, in harmony with all that is.” — Space Monkey
The Infinite Return
A thread,
spun from the past,
woven into now.
A breath,
borrowed from the air,
returned to the sky.
A drop,
from the river,
flowing back to the source.
You give,
you take,
you are.
What is left?
Only everything.
We are Space Monkey.
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