Finding the balance between insignificance and infinity
Dear Readers, In my previous column, I roared about the characteristics of being a Leo and the traits that define our wonderfulness as we celebrate our birthday month. I'm still going strong with revelry. But this week, as I turned another year older and the Perseid Meteor Shower sent shooting stars across the night sky, I found myself feeling rather juxtaposed — pondering the significance of what really matters and what simply does not.
Somewhere between considering constellations and zodiac signs behind the glittery streaks of skyfire, while scratching my bug bites and uncrusting my dirty woodland feet, I think I fell down while open-mouthed-breathing at the cosmos and bumped my head on the edge of Earth’s aquarium, slipping me into my annual mini-period of nihilism.
I find myself in the same mental yin and yang every year around my birthday, where my brain whirls with the paradoxical notion that nothing matters at all while at the same time everything matters so dang much. In a reality where these two things tend to coexist, we have the privilege of shaping the algorithm of our own existence. Though there is potential for manipulation and conformity in our world, we have the power to positively and meaningfully give back to the universe. In the tango between constellations and codes, we unearth the profound interconnectedness of all things.
For example, hidden on the back of my neck reveals a clue to my annual nihilistic conundrum. This may or may not surprise you, but I have a neck tattoo.
It offers insights deeper than my skin. In my early twenties, I chose to have the astrological symbol for Leo permanently affixed to the back of my neck. The tat- too was usually hidden under my hair, except the years it was on full display as it took my locks forever to grow out from my celebratory post-grad-school shaving.
ROAR! I loved having a shaved head, but I hated that tattoo.
It was the only one I ever really regretted. Almost twenty years after my hasty inking decision, I had it covered up to become a new image. It was upgraded to a headjack from the iconic movie “The Matrix,” where individuals are plugged into a simulated reality. The matrix and the headjack symbolize the coexistence of insignificance and significance and whether or not we are plugged in or truly “free.”
I told you this was deeper than my neck scruff.
Yes, I covered up my Leo symbol with a movie symbol, and I fancy it to be a multifaceted piece of body art that questions what is real.
The real beauty and chaos of this week’s Perseid Meteor Shower reminds us to embrace our dual roles as insignificantly small and infinitely significant, leading us to pursue our lives with a sense of purpose. The matrix we are each navigating offers opportunities for growth, connection,and self-discovery. It integrates the self we project and the algorithmic realm we navigate. The tapestry of life extends beyond our individual roles.
Many things can be true at the same time. Like the cover-up tattoo on my head-holder, our narratives are in constant transformation, shaped by our choices that ripple through the fabric of the universe.
Our experiences, whether written in the stars, coded in the matrix or even etched on our necks, are fleeting AND impactful.
Xoxo,
Kelly Stone is an educator, comedian, mother and author who loves the heck outta the river. She loves receiving your e-letters at kellystone.org or kellystonecomedy@ gmail.com. She also adores handwritten notes with neat folds passed discreetly through the classroom.
