Or Rather

It took me
47 years
to figure out
the importance
of maintaining
some semblance
of a connection
to the universe

or rather,
to maintain
conscious
awareness
of a connection
that existed all along
to the universe

or rather,
to be awake
to the realization
that there is
this thing
called the universe
which includes
my thoughts
and feelings
and memories
and activity

or rather,
to simply be awake
to something more
than whether or not
my back hurts
or my bills need paying