Animacules and Other Little Subjects

Mark Smith's "Animacules and Other Little Subjects" gave me the feeling that in life, it is more beneficial to look at something small, rather than the general picture. The "little subject" could be the larger image. The big, expensive things may not be the most pleasing but the small little ones, sometimes not even there for the eye to see. Smith's interest in microscopic animacules is phenomenal. He is interested in something that is so tiny, but does so much. They serve an important role, and they are just so small! I couldn't help but to think of the movie Men in Black, where the cat wore the whole galaxy on his neck, full of organisms and life. The author's love for the microscope allowed him to grow older and find his love for animacules. It is crazy to think about that the smallest organism has the same structures as we, humans do. He says, "I have trouble explaining my satisfaction with the animalcules" (260), but he doesn't need to. He is allowed to love the little things without explaining himself.

Recently, on my tumblr (which is my private blog that I use to express my feelings and emotions), I made a list of the little things that I love. This was all done before I read this article, of course. The little things I love include non material subjects, such as fresh air, salt-water, the feeling of a hug, hearing someone you love say "I love you"... etc. This list made me happy to read after, because it is not the big things like a car, or a new pocketbook that should make one feel this way inside, but the little things that make us who we are, just like Smith found a love for animacules. In relation to "Just Add Water" and "Food Miles", I realized that it is not worth it for us to fill our lives with technology and expensive big things when life is full of special, small things. Observe, enjoy and love what is given to you. Go to the pond, realize that it is full of life.. and there's so much more then what we see with our eyes.