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There are very real differences between people, many of which are profound. But there is also a vast landscape of things we share. Here is some of the common ground I’ve been thinking about lately.
We all took shape inside a womb before being pulled into this dazzling danger.
Starting out helpless, our first real talent was desperately wanting things.
Every one of us cried when our first teeth cut through our own gums, the pain of our own growth.
No matter how much we eat, we still get hungry every day. We are thirsty all the time.
We fail to thrive if we are not touched. We fail to thrive if we are forced.
All of us are transformed every decade or so, getting an entirely new set of cells. But even good changes are hard on us. We can only take so much uncertainty before we lash out.
The blood in our bodies finds the path of least resistance, but it will also defy gravity.
We are somehow experts at love even when our teachers were bad.
Without rest, we lose our minds.
Give any one of us power and we’ll find ways to abuse it. We all poop, and it all stinks. We’re so much more than the worst things we’ve done.
Our eyes produce tears to keep our sight clear.
We don’t really understand our dreams.
Everything in us ages, gets weathered, wears out over time.
We are here because our ancestors survived, even though, eventually, none of them did.
We feel better when smiled at and when we smile at someone else.
Our skin protects us, makes us appear smooth, and shreds easily when scraped.
We all keep falling in love with things that were never made to last, and then sometimes we fall in love with things that are eternal.
"Our eyes produce tears to keep our sight clear." I like your list! Lots to think about. Today, changing the tablecloth on our dining table, I found an envelope of snippets from your Thanksgiving post. During an extended family dinner, we passed the envelope around the table. Each guest pulled out a snippet, read it, and added his thoughts on the topic. The 'exercise' was well received. Thank you. Doris
I love this post. Thank you.