As I Live and Breathe

When we breathe, molecules of the last gasp of Julius Caesar enter our bloodstreams.

When I read that statement (paraphrased above), I decided to spend time in research rather than taking some truth-of-word into my brain along with my next breath.  Of course, I was not successful in preventing my next breath as my body pretty much takes care of my breathing apparatus, but I continued to explore anyway.

Apparently, there were experiments done to determine if this hypothesis was verifiable, at least per the generally accepted conditions placed on us by mathematics.

” The story goes that in 44 BC in Rome, Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of his own senators, crumpling to the floor with a final gasp. This last breath contained around 25 sextillions (that’s 25 followed by 21 zeroes) air molecules, which would have spread around the globe within a couple of years. A breath seems like such a small thing compared to the Earth’s atmosphere, but remarkably, if you do the math, you’ll find that roughly one molecule of Caesar’s air will appear in your next breath.

And it doesn’t stop there. In the same way, you might currently be inhaling Cleopatra’s perfume, German mustard gas and even particles exhaled by dinosaurs.”

The above quote was taken from Science Focus.  

Side note:  I’ve lately been reading a lot about the unconscious biases we carry around with us.  I also spent time watching a documentary about a new one called Coded Bias (Algorithm Bias). Clicking on the link for Science Focus kind of brought a lot of that to mind.  You'll see. A discussion for another day, I suppose.

The catalyst for today’s article was found in an Advent preparation booklet received recently by a thoughtful friend.  This particular daily devotion discussed the idea that if the above theory is true, we are also inhaling molecules from the breath of Jesus! 

You don’t need me to tell you how that kind of revelation can grab a person.

The author has also referred to what is known as the Prayer of St. Francis. This was turned into one of my favorite musical pieces. You can read the lyrics as well as listen to the David Haas arrangement by clicking on the link for Because It Deserves Its Own. Considering the idea behind this article, the song makes its own revelations.

Title Information

". . .  As I live and breathe, I've never seen a more beautiful view. This expression is generally used to emphasize the truth of a statement and has been so used since the mid-1600s, although sometimes it was put simply as as I live. However, the complete phrase was also used early on, as in Arthur Murphy's 1756 play The Apprentice (2:1): "As I live and breathe, we shall both be taken, for heaven's sake let us make our escape."

Apparently, idioms can last as long as the air molecules!  It would be appropriate to note that this title probably originated when I heard my Grandma using it so very many years ago.