You, Me, Lizards and Mosquitoes are All Important

I imagine that after reading the title, you might predict that this month’s Inner Heroes message is all about how we are ALL important. That is obviously the point of today’s message. You are important. I am important. So are lizards and mosquitos.

Let’s start with the dictionary definition of important. Important means: of high value, significant, critical, influential. Clearly something or someone important makes a difference. Then why are lizards and mosquitos important?

Yesterday, Lyza, our dear granddaughter, brought us a lizard at the same time I was trying to think of a title for this month’s message. One of my main interests in life is helping us see our own importance. To know and see our own impact on our corner of the world. At work, with our friends, with our spouses, children, at the gym, wherever we go!

So, when this stunning little blue lizard shined in my eyes, it hit me to ponder, “Are lizards important?” And then, “How about mosquitos?” I figured if they are, then maybe you and I have a good chance of entering into this sweet circle of being important.

I did my research.

Lizards provide food for birds, snakes and small mammals. They stop insect overpopulation and thus we need to use less toxic chemical sprays. Not only are lizards important, they are essential to a healthy environment.

How about mosquitos, the little bugs that most of us slap, trap and spray?

We need these little buggers, too. They feed our hungry fish, frogs, birds, bats and, of course, our shiny lizards. They also pollinate many plants. Are they a nuisance to us? Of course. And they are essential to life on Earth.

I think that I’ve made my first point: when we see anything, we are seeing an important piece of this amazingly complex world. Trees, flowers, bees, cows, stars, air…this list of what keeps us going day after day is far beyond our ability to fathom. We can, and should be in a state of awe and gratitude every day. At least once a day, to remind us how interdependent and blessed we are.

My dear wife, Wendy, and I do our best to enter this state of awe daily. It’s been a good practice for us.

Are you and I important? You know the answer.

I know there are over 8 billion of us on our planet.

You and I are only teeny-weeny numbers in the big picture but, maybe not. Let me tell you the favorite “number” story of my entire life. Nineteen years ago a young rabbi, Dovie Shapiro, knocked on my office door in Flagstaff, Arizona. He had recently moved to town with his wife, Chaya, and their little baby boy. He had a list of Jewish folks in the area and was knocking on doors to meet us.

Knock, Knock. “Hi, I’m Rabbi Dovie Shapiro. Can I come in?”

I wasn’t remotely expecting a Rabbi to knock on my office door.

“Sure, come on in,” I answered hesitantly.

We chatted, told a few stories, then I came up with a cool question that changed both our lives to this very day.

In the most important prayer in our faith, the last line is:

…the L-rd is One. -From the Shema

I asked the Rabbi if that was because, as I had learned in my college religion class, that Jews were the first monotheistic, not polytheistic, faith and we figured out there is only One?

The Rabbi paused and answered,

“That’s part of it. The deeper meaning is there is nothing but One. There is only One.”

Every one and every thing are connected.

We are ALL connected. You, me, the lizards, the mosquitoes, trees and bees… I got high.

Actually, connected. I just heard the Truth that was planted deep inside of me from birth. It was my time to try to live it day-to-day, for the rest of my life. I want us ALL to feel and live this connected reality. It takes a lot of work. Every ounce of work gets an immeasurable return.

Rabbi Dovie and I are best friends to this day.

We are ALL important.

– Burt Gershater is a counselor, leadership trainer, speaker and writer. He can be reached at burt@burtgershater.com