Rich (Paradise is Now)

What comes to mind when we hear the word rich?

Perhaps we think of having money, picturing our wallet swollen with an endless supply of cash. Or maybe we think of fatty foods, such as a decadent dessert or a swirl of cream over a warm dish that pulls us in with a seductive aroma. But what about the kind of richness that dwells within the concept of life itself? Being able to afford things and the delight of food is part of this richness, but how about the distance a sunbeam has traveled to reach our skin and the warmth it carries despite its cold journey? How about the liquid gold that lies behind the lens of a frog’s eye or the gift of a distinguishing beauty mark upon our face?

These are all things we tend to pass by and push aside in our quest for wealth, happiness, and a sense of meaning to life. Yet when appreciated, these sacred, awe-inspiring treasures remind us of how rich we and the realm we live in truly are.

Rarely do we think of the sheer wealth that lies within the premise of life itself. Pearls of energy we call protons, electrons, and neutrons come together as if by natural magnetism to create atoms. These atoms then connect with other atoms to form the precious, malleable mesh from which all shapes of life emerge. And these are not the random structures of tornado-strewn building blocks, but highly developed concepts that repeat themselves countlessly throughout nature as if by the work of an inspired architect. The snout, the intestine, the spinal cord and its branching nervous system, the fragile tissue of the beating heart, and the holy eye with which we are capable of seeing the world. The frog egg, the veins of a leaf, the arteries of a placenta, the color red, the fish scale, the tiger stripe, and the barbs of feather – all the creations of genius beyond imagination.

To recognize the functional layers and patterns of cells, bone, bark, muscle, nerves, and fur as pure artistry is to recognize the obvious. But to fathom the origins and intentions of that chemistry; to wonder what compels the storm cloud of swirling particles that is the breath of life to form what it forms - this is where we begin to discover the true depth and meaning of the word rich. For what could be more opulent than the molecular fabric of the universe, structured and dripping like a honeycomb of endless beauty, divinity, and possibilities? What could be more precious than the fact that energy and atoms are led by a consciousness of their own to build and then evolve what they build for reasons unknown? And what of the moments when we as humans are capable of sensing an artist behind the design?