Essay on Structure of Consciousness
Atoms are conscious of their neighbours - especially the ones they are bonded with.
A pair of bonded atoms - a compound - is conscious in itself, so the simplest compound has 3 consciousnesses associated with it. The 2 atoms and the compound are separate, harmoniously functioning, and separately self-aware.
Consciousnesses, in communication with one another, can sometimes aggregate into larger structures, such that the whole is separate from the contributing parts.
(We all know that some things are fun and enjoyable, but the fundamental joy of life is knowing that we're alive and able to love one another. How would it feel to be an atom? Do atoms know themselves to exist - do atoms love?)
Is each atom connected to every other atom in the cosmos?
Consider the matter from the other end. The conscious Cosmos knows itself to have arisen as the emergent consequence of the interaction between many smaller parts - say, galactic clusters. A few et ceteras follow, and we once again consider atoms.
At every level, and according to its capacity, that-which-is knows itself to be.
Admittedly wheelbarrows might not be conscious :) Just because you can think of a thing, doesn't force that thing to have real meaning.
Then everything meaningful is conscious, for the entire universe is made of conscious atoms.