The Milky Way Galaxy is a collection of 400 billion stars of which one is the fireball we call our Sun.  Earth is the third planet from the Sun which is “our” home; our species, homo sapiens, is but one of 8.7 million species on this planet at this time; 6.5 million species on land and 2.2 million living in the ocean.  Our conscious awareness of this living organism called the Milky Way is one of the many gifts we have received as miniscule parts of this vast and yet not unique galaxy within the universe of multiple galaxies that we believe exist.

We are not exactly sure of the total number of galaxies in the universe but it is estimated there are at least 200 billion and possibly as many as 2 trillion. The Milky Way galaxy is only an arm of the Laniakea supercluster, one of the largest objects in the known universe stretching 520 million light-years across. Our specific solar system is located about 27,000 light-years from the Galactic Center on the inner edge of the Orion Arm within the Milky Way. Where does our solar system exist inside the Milky Way? Is it at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy? – Quora

The physical body I call “me” is composed of water, earth, fire and air all provided by the physical elements in which I have been “born.”  Water represents approximately 60% of my body weight and over one hundred trillion forms of bacteria live on our skin, in our gut and up our nostrils, and so forth.  You could say I am composed of more non-human elements than “human.”

I am a product of my biological parents who were products of theirs, and so on. My body is but one of the many bodies existing at this time on this planet.  How unique can I be as one of 7.9 billion humans currently residing at this time on this planet in this galaxy.

A macrocosm is the whole of a complex structure, especially the world or universe, contrasted with a small or representative part of it. A microcosm is a miniature with characteristics that exemplify something much larger (e.g., humankind regarded as the epitome of the universe). Narcissism is excessive interest in oneself with a grandiose view of one’s importance in its environment.  Hmmm, from the sublime to the ordinary; what an amazing universe we live in.

As I sip my coffee in the early morning hours of this side of the planet on this late-April day listening to my dog snore at my feet as I type these words on my laptop recalling the question I received less than 24 hours ago which was “why do I write”. I recall my two answers.  First, because I have to.  Second, because I enjoy it.

Why do you write?