Soil as a living thing

Soil is a living thing, filled with living things. It is also HOME to billions of living things below as well as above.

Here is a fascinating animation from the California Academy of Sciences:

And here is a view of soil under a microscope:

How does the fact that we view soil as inanimate influence the ways that we care-- or don't care-- for it?

When I see that the soil is filled with life, I am struck with the intricacy of creation. I am reminded of the web of life that works in incredibly complex interconnected rings in order to support our own lives that we take for granted, as well.