Walking around the streets of the city on a sunny Saturday and seeing the world in a new light.
It used to be I was almost entirely focused on myself, my needs, and how I perceived I was coming off. I was much more insecure and superficial.
Nowadays, I see the world with much more humane eyes. I see all the different types of people, and I see them as human beings like me, with their faults, insecurities, desires, and so forth.
Maybe this is a product of aging or the result of investing in self-introspection and meditation over the years, but seeing the humanity of the world – and of oneself – levels the playing field. That is, the need to compete or be “better than” the other dissolves and one can walk freely in the world, knowing that we’re not separate from it but that we belong here.
For at the end of the day, we are all just human beings with our own weaknesses and strengths, and the best we can do is to recognize our own humanity, along with our fears and frailties, and come forth into the world anyway, sharing our unique voice and gifts because there is a place for every voice in this infinite tapestry of existence. It can just be so easy to forget that when we’re lost in thoughts, fears, and concepts.
I know, for me, I can be much more compassionate and understanding of other people when I can see the humanity in them, and I can stop worrying about myself so much too because I am no different than anyone else just trying to make their way in this world, the best way they know how at the time.