Everything Matters

"It matters immensely. The slightest sound matters. The most momentary rhythm matters. You can do as you please, yet everything matters."

-- Wallace Stevens

Why does everything matter? Because everything is sacred. Not just some things, everything. And so they, we, all matter. I don't think Stevens tells us this to scare us. It's more like a public service announcement -- he just wants us to be aware. And not just aware of what we really, really like, or really, really dislike, but aware of everything.

But, of course, we can do as we please. We have volition, freedom of choice. The fact that everything matters doesn't suppress our free will, but it may make us much more aware of how we use it.

You see, not only is everything sacred, everything is connected, everything is One. So what you do matters because it has ramifications not just for you, but for everyone and everything. Whether you recycle, whether you smile at strangers, what you eat, what you say, even what you think -- it all matters because each and every small action produces a ripple into the entire cosmos. Once you know that, it's hard to "play small" anymore.

So, today, try on the awareness that everything matters. Keep reminding yourself, and see if it has any effect on what you choose to think, say and do. Play with the concept! Have fun with it! Spirituality shouldn't be some somber, serious and dreary thing. For God's sake, folks, we're not talking religion, here! Spirituality is the Dance of Life, a dance in which every step is sacred, every step matters, and every step has the potential to express pure, radiant joy!