humanity

 Some thoughts on humanity:

Human life is a problem with 8 billion solutions.

I’ve tried to figure out human beings. Are we essentially good? Bad? What motivates us? Why do we act like we do? Do we need love? I don’t have any answers. But I do believe there are human beings, flawed as all of us are, who work hard at being decent. Who measure their wealth in courage and integrity. Who are driven by compassion for others. Who live as if they have a soul. Who teach us what love is. It’s these people I put my faith and hope in.

“Humanity” is meaningless unless we see it as something we must earn. It’s the job of parents and the educational system to lay the foundation for achieving this in a world in which religion has so often lost its way. Where does a young person really look for the mentors and role models that can help them develop the strength and wisdom to reach this place of humanity?

Ukraine is our latest lesson in humanity. Putin has given up every shred of his humanity. Russian soldiers are confronted every day with the choice to remain human or not. The mundane daily life of most Ukrainians has been replaced with brutal assaults on their humanity. Still, we see endless examples of their irrepressible humanity.

The rest of us in the safe comfort of our homes cry with empathy and wonder about the state of our own humanity.

We try to achieve what’s humanly possible. Why don’t we try to achieve what’s humanely possible?