Human beings have marked the world and claimed it as theirs over the past 700,000 years. However, the planet itself has existed for billions of years, and various creatures have populated its surface long before mankind even began to exist.
We are yet to uncover many of the mysteries that the past has buried deep within the earth. Yet, there are several stories and lessons that we do know already. There are creatures which did not only begin to exist before us, but have survived alongside us over the years. These creatures carry tales of evolution and survival in their bodies. They carry lessons for us to learn.
Recently, I discovered that the longest organism to exist is called a siphonophore. A siphonophore is a creature that lives in the deep sea and can stretch up to 150 feet in length. It is most closely related to the jellyfish species and has the appearance of a long, coiled rope. The most extraordinary characteristic of this creature is not its length, but rather the way in which it survives.
A siphonophore is not truly one organism, but a colony of smaller units called zooids. These zooids are genetically identical and join together to form a single organism. Each group of zooids is highly specialised and play specific roles in helping the entire creature survive. However they are not the same as bodily organs that would be found in a mammal or fish. When a mammal or fish encounters damage to one of its vital organs, the situation is likely to be fatal. However, when a siphonophore experiences damage to one of its zooids, it will simply rely on other zooids to perform the same function, and it will eventually regenerate its lost parts. This unique ability is what has helped in its survival for such a long period of time.
As young people, our process of growth involves learning to depend on certain people or interests in order to thrive and build an identity. These become analogous to the vital organs in an animal. For some people, their vital organs are their friends and family. For others, it is their career or hobbies. Dependency is human nature. We all depend on other people or our skills to give our lives meaning. However, this dependency becomes an issue when it moves from helping us find meaning, to defining our entire identities.
As we grow, we have the responsibility to ask ourselves who we are if we were to be parted from something we believe to be a vital organ. Like the siphonophore, which can survive even when it loses a zooid, we too must be able to grow and thrive. If we find our answers to be devoid of substance, then it means that we must work on building versions of ourselves whose values extend beyond the people who surround us or the work we do.
Yet, as we do find a way to define ourselves without depending on external factors, we must also ensure that we do not become disconnected from the people and roles that bring joy to our lives. Perhaps, the greatest dilemma of growth is learning to walk the line that divides dependency from disconnection.
