A leaf becomes the captain of a sailing vessel
by Richard Gerber

I think you made a good point with the question could I breathe if the trees did not breathe and yes we are being breathed. That triggered a thought I have had and written before..  

There is a leaf floating down the river of life and sometimes it wants to go to the left bank and does, and sometimes it doesn’t. The leaf thinks it’s in control, but really it goes where the current of life takes it or we might say the current of desire and the impetus of evolution. 

Which evolved further… 

We might think of this leaf as ego bound awareness, which doesn’t really have free will in at least one context. It does have free will though in regard to where it places it’s attention and it is free to think and believe what it chooses.  

Well after a long journey and the gaining of wisdom and awareness it reaches the ocean an infinite expanse of water and when it sees this ocean there is a metamorphosis and the leaf becomes the captain of a sailing vessel, with unbounded awareness, a glimpse of the infinite, and a new degree of freedom.  

With tiller in hand it sets it’s intention and the wind breathes into it’s sails and carries it on it’s journey. It is still dependant on the wind, and being breathed, it is subject to the whim of the wind and the direction the wind chooses to blow, so the captain must align with the wind if it is to journey to where it wants to go, which we might construe to be divine will, but at least now it can set it’s own course with intention and a greater degree of freedom.