I have some bad news.
You’re not going to like it.
Are you ready?
Are you sitting down?
Here it is.
No one is coming to save you.
We’re all we’ve got. That’s it. Nothing. –No, no. Shh. :: leans in closer and hushes your lips ::
You see. For all the excuses mankind waves at its atrocities, disguised with a bow of ignorance, we hold on to some hope that someone/something will save us. That someone will come to mend the broken, to right the wrong, to heal our wounds.
This world is broken in many ways. And while the onslaught of the media’s bad news can be overwhelming and near soul crushing (seriously pushing me toward a nihilistic and misanthropic existence), I remind myself of my fondness for humanity.
The good we’re capable of:
The amazing things our bodies can do:
The beautiful poetry of a good dance:
In every amazing feat, kind gesture, and moment of joy, I have to remind myself of the awe.
“That’s my species! That’s what we can do–that’s what I can do!” (Granted the last part is contingent on practice and discipline, but it’s all within capabilities of a human)
The blood, the dna, coursing through my body… the building blocks are the same and I have to–must–remind myself about the beauty in that. I have to remind myself just how connected we are. Or else drown in despair.
So while some try to divide us with our differences, I see the beauty in the differences. I see the beauty in what the species is capable of; the many shapes, sizes, colors, and everything in between. It’s me It’s us.
Walking down the street, or watching people on T.V., I go, “Wow, her smile is gorgeous. That gymnast, she executed a flawless move. That astronaut, fearless in the face of uncertainty… that’s us. That’s me.”
The pride swells, if only to stabilize me in an otherwise eroding foundation.
I’m reminded of a short story by Andy Weir (Same author from The Martian), called The Egg. It resonates with me, conveying a lot of what I’m trying to point out. You should read it.
I leave you with one of my favorite clips from the movie Contact. Where the main character Ellie meets her dead father (she makes contact with aliens who disguise themselves as her father to establish a non-threatening form of communication). It has one of my favorite quotes:
“You’re an interesting species. An interesting mix. You’re capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares. You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone, only you’re not. See, in all our searching, the only thing we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable, is each other.”