You Came Here To Be Human

Simply put, you were born into this world to be human. You were born to go through brilliant and unexpected highs and lows; to climb to the tops of mountains in ecstasy, but to still be knocked down off your feet by tumultuous ocean waves. You were born to be real. You were never supposed to be perfect. You were born to make mistakes, to mess up, to constantly redefine your own equilibrium. You were born to love and be loved…to encourage people. You are here to support those around you when they need an extra crutch, when they need a bit of encouragement. You see, we are all connected by the deep ties of our humanness, and we all have the ability to treat those around us with kindness and respect; for being human implies that we are equals. No one is inherently inferior or superior. We learn from each other how to be human. We learn how to be loved, and how to master unconditional love.  To be human means to recognize that part of our purpose here is to cross the paths of others, and to bring new depths to the lives of those we encounter. We are more purely human when we can bring some good to others; when we can spread our share of love. We give away pieces of our heart to other human beings, such that to be human means to impact and to be impacted by all other humans. We need each other. Being human means being an encourager, a supporter, and a lover; of both ourselves and others.

To be human means to experience both joy and pain. We celebrate in times of victory, and we mourn in times of despair and disappointment. But being human comes along with the realization that both experiences are of great value. When we are lowest, we learn how to have faith. We learn how to express our own individual strength and push forward. And when we are at our highest, we experience happiness and bliss, and we learn how to celebrate with humility. Along with some of our lows, we may find long nights of tossing and turning, restless limbs, and unsettled thoughts.  As a human, there will be times when we will be distraught over how life could be “better,” or how you we need to be “fixed.” But being human means learning that it’s only life. That we have to ride the waves to experience our truest feelings and desires.  We have a tendency to seek perfection even though we never acknowledge that perfection is our own construct, and it is a construct that is only a concept, one that we can never reach. But you see, perfection is not the goal of being human. You weren’t born into this world to be perfect. You were created to be beautifully flawed. You were created to be imperfect. Imperfection, at its purest state, is sheer beauty. Imperfection is the basis of an interesting life…of an unexpected and glorious life.  Imperfections are interesting. They inspire thought and courage, they inspire change and surprise. If you can begin to accept your imperfections as assets, rather than flaws in need of being fixed, you will begin to understand that you can still live a wonderful life even amidst your doubts, or amidst your uncertainties. To be human means that you must not sink into the negative so deeply that you forget to live life to its fullest.

To be human means being in constant flux. We are all searching for the life that will soothe our souls. We are all looking searching for the pieces of world our world that will fit together perfectly to cure our anxious minds. We look high and low for these bits of serenity, and the longer we search, the more anxious we become. And as we become more anxiety ridden, the urge to flee becomes almost too powerful to resist. However, this is what being human is, in its most raw form. If we can understand that life may be testing us, and not limiting us, we will find our own way to continue about our lives. The desire to flee reflects our ever changing minds, our unstable ideas. We have minds that can be stretched to great capacities, that have unlimited space for new ideas, for new thoughts, and for revolutions. Our thoughts are indefinite, our approximations of the future are unstable. We reevaluate our lives each day to find what is causing our pain, and what is bringing us ecstasy. We may have an unfulfilled yearning to be in a different place; or in a different world. But this is only human. You see, living in this world means trying to manipulate your life to fit your needs…to bring you satisfaction. And sometimes this means we will be in a place of struggle. But struggle is a sign of evolution; struggle brings about change. It is vital that we struggle, for times of struggle bring us vital knowledge about who we are as human beings.

To be human implies that you will inevitably make mistakes; but that you will never be permanently indebted by these mistakes.  You can make a million mistakes, and yet, because you are human, you will still come out on the other side, with a new coat of beautiful battle scars. You were created such that you are fully equipped to face anything that comes your way; anything that crosses your path. You will learn this in due time; after all, how did you get to where you are now? You kept fighting when things were difficult. You powered through life with resilience and hope. You gave yourself space to recover, and you allowed your wounds time to heal. You were honest with yourself. You trusted yourself. You bathed in life’s victories and times of joy, and without hesitation, you celebrated the successes of those around you. To be human means to make mistakes. To be human means to be imperfect. But to be human also means to wait patiently for the door to open back up again, with the faith that it will indeed open. To be human implies that you will never be trapped for long.  You will still shine brightly, and you will still experience happiness, but there is a time and place for each emotion. When you connect with both sides of life, you will feel more at home in your own body. More at home with yourself.

You came here to be a human. Flawed, imperfect, beautiful, resilient and eccentric. Each time you are wounded, you heal with grace. Each time you are knocked down, you make your way back onto your feet – even if sometimes it takes much longer than others. When times are hard, you don’t need to hide. You don’t need to cover up your pain, or fake your happiness. Running away from your feelings just keeps them nested inside of you. Don’t run away; feel them. Learn from them.  It is only inevitable that as a human means to have your own story that is yours and yours alone. This story will be filled with ups and downs, lows and highs. Understanding this contrast allows you to experience how beautiful the flow of the ebb and tide of life really is.

To be human means to be a constellation of stars – a map of simple patterns stitched together by intricate designs and sharp contrasts. Sometimes we are fully seen in the dark skies, and other times we shine on dimly, refocusing on who we would like to be; on how we would like to shine. These are the times in which we are in flux, in which we are changing. It’s the imperfection of being human, rather than the perfection, that creates the odd and unique constellations, poignantly designed in the infinite space of the universe. It’s the curves and edges, the structure and disarray of these sparkling spots that make for a marvelous night sky. It is the magnificent contrast.  You came here to be a contrast. You came here to have immensely unique and beautiful experiences.  You came here to be shaken and scarred. You came here to love and be loved.

You came here to be human. So keep surviving, and please, keep thriving.