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Get Up. Inhale. And don’t stop dancing.

August 2, 2015 by 28 Comments

Jeffrey_Vanhouette_05-dancer

Statistically, the probability of any one of us being here is so small that you’d think the mere fact of existing would keep us all in a contented dazzlement of surprise.  We are alive against the stupendous odds of genetics, infinitely outnumbered by all the alternatives who might, except for luck, be in our places…

We violate probability, by our nature. To be able to do this systematically, and in such wild varieties of form, from viruses to whales, is extremely unlikely; to have sustained the effort successfully for several billion years of our existence, without drifting back into randomness, was nearly a mathematical impossibility.

Add to this the biological improbability that makes each member of our own species unique. Everyone is one in 3 billion at the moment, which describes the odds. Each of us is a self contained, free-standing individual, labeled by specific protein configurations at the surfaces of cells, identifiable by whorls of fingertip skin, maybe even by special medleys of fragrance.  You’d think we’d never stop dancing.

~ Lewis Thomas, M.D., Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher

Notes: Quote Source: Thank you Whiskey River. Photography: Jeffrey Vanhouttes via Ignant.de

 

Filed Under: Art, Inspire, Lit, Photography, Poetry, Quotes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Comments

  1. mimijk says:
    August 2, 2015 at 5:55 am

    It really is beyond my limited understanding-defies belief. I think I’ll go dance..

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. Dr. Rex says:
    August 2, 2015 at 6:49 am

    Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
    This is simply beautiful! Keep dancing …

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. ksbeth says:
    August 2, 2015 at 7:34 am

    mind-blowing.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. Carolann says:
    August 2, 2015 at 9:03 am

    You all are dancing mighty early for a Sunday morning!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. dianasschwenk says:
    August 2, 2015 at 10:11 am

    I love being alive and I love dancing. This post is very inspiring – thank you. ❤
    Diana xo

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  6. Tiny says:
    August 2, 2015 at 10:59 am

    The question here is, for me, why have many of us stopped dancing. Maybe we don’t hear the music?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • David Kanigan says:
      August 2, 2015 at 11:19 am

      There is wisdom in your words Helen.

      Reminds me of words from John Prendergast I read in a post from Make Believe Boutique this morning:

      The background stage of awareness generally remains unrecognized, quietly out of view. It is The background stage of awareness generally remains unrecognized, quietly out of view. It is like the page upon which words are written or the screen upon which a movie plays. It is the context within which the contents of awareness- thoughts, feelings, and sensations- arise. It is easily overlooked even thought it is implicit in any experience. We cannot experience anything without awareness, yet when we try to objectify awareness, we can’t. Looking for and trying to define it is like the eye trying to turn upon itself; what is seeing cannot be seen. Attention is like a wave on the ocean of awareness. At some point, either because we have an intuition of this source or because we are seasick from the waves (suffering from our attachments or identifications), we become interested in following attention back toward its origin. This exploration may take the form of an intense, heartfelt inquiry- “What is this that is aware? Who am I really?”- or a simple, meditative resting in silence. It is more of an orientation than a technique.

      ~John Prendergast

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  7. http://theenglishprofessoratlarge.com says:
    August 2, 2015 at 11:19 am

    I’m dancing as fast as I can!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Val Boyko says:
    August 2, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    From intensity to dance.
    Move to the groove 😎

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. Sandy Sue says:
    August 2, 2015 at 2:59 pm

    Statistics as far as we know in this limited view. Statistics of the Eye looking back on itself. Who knows what the REAL stats are?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. Scott Marshall says:
    August 2, 2015 at 4:13 pm

    What a stunning image to support even more incredible discourse

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. Bonnie says:
    August 3, 2015 at 1:16 pm

    Wow. What everyone else said. Right?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. Claudia Anderson says:
    August 3, 2015 at 11:34 pm

    No, never stop dancing. Especially standing in front of the speakers blasting your favorite song.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. Christie says:
    August 6, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    “contented dazzlement of surprise” is how we should approach this gift of life….we must see the possibilities..and engage ourselves in the potential of the experiences… we will gain much….

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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