Oh my! We are human!
It seems that many of us humans are constantly shocked that others who appear to be of the same species are humans We may have noticed that us humans:
One could probably go on for pages about the difficulty us humans have with accepting our humanness. Although we like to think we are more advanced or evolved than other species of animals and plants, we cannot identify any other life form which writes long treatises about self-acceptance. It would seem the simplest insect is perfectly content to be exactly what it is for however long it is. Although grief is apparently experienced by other species, none romanticize, deny or otherwise are shocked at the death of some other being. Acceptance of life on life’s terms seems to come quite naturally to all the rest of creation despite absence of multi-page books on the metaphysics of morals or on the relationship between I and thou. While other specifies may defend their territory or family, even with killing, none build jails or prisons in hope that time spent with others who are not functioning well will change them into who they want them to be. Other species are not repulsed by sexual feeling or activity. Some are very selective and do not hesitate to state their limits. No others are disgusted by other natural body functions.
Humans have been admonisher to “know thyself”; to return to that childhood state before one learned that one was not enough or the right race, gender, or religion; before any social constructs of differences were learned. Much of the work I do is validating that who we are is indeed enough; that we do not have to be stronger, brighter, wealthier, or otherwise more than we are; that we are all equally deserving of unconditional love and acceptance; that we do not need to take ourselves or the stages of this life journey so seriously.
Paradoxically the more accepting we are of our humanness the more we expand together to be more than the sum of all of us as individuals.
Written November 29. 2018
It seems that many of us humans are constantly shocked that others who appear to be of the same species are humans We may have noticed that us humans:
- Have a finite life span. Although the average length has increased it is still finite.
- Have brains which perceive, analyze the same sensory input and arrive at the different conclusions.
- Posit different Gods and remain convinced only our god is the right or true one.
- Struggle with accepting our human strengths and limitations.
- Often decide we are too fragile to handle life on life terms.
- Allow others to determine our worth.
- Are shocked when our body does not function as we think it should without any care.
- Struggle mightily with the fact that we have limited power and, thus, control.
- Are capable of indescribable acts of kindness and acts of meanness.
- Are mirrors of each other.
- Create amazing works of beauty and depth and weapons of mass destruction.
- Have skills which work well in the workplace but refuse to be transported to our home and family life.
- Hold on to “truths” despite all scientific evidence to the contrary.
One could probably go on for pages about the difficulty us humans have with accepting our humanness. Although we like to think we are more advanced or evolved than other species of animals and plants, we cannot identify any other life form which writes long treatises about self-acceptance. It would seem the simplest insect is perfectly content to be exactly what it is for however long it is. Although grief is apparently experienced by other species, none romanticize, deny or otherwise are shocked at the death of some other being. Acceptance of life on life’s terms seems to come quite naturally to all the rest of creation despite absence of multi-page books on the metaphysics of morals or on the relationship between I and thou. While other specifies may defend their territory or family, even with killing, none build jails or prisons in hope that time spent with others who are not functioning well will change them into who they want them to be. Other species are not repulsed by sexual feeling or activity. Some are very selective and do not hesitate to state their limits. No others are disgusted by other natural body functions.
Humans have been admonisher to “know thyself”; to return to that childhood state before one learned that one was not enough or the right race, gender, or religion; before any social constructs of differences were learned. Much of the work I do is validating that who we are is indeed enough; that we do not have to be stronger, brighter, wealthier, or otherwise more than we are; that we are all equally deserving of unconditional love and acceptance; that we do not need to take ourselves or the stages of this life journey so seriously.
Paradoxically the more accepting we are of our humanness the more we expand together to be more than the sum of all of us as individuals.
Written November 29. 2018
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