You are...
You are the sum total of all the potential of humanity that has existed to this point. You are more than a name, a sexual orientation, your politics, your beliefs or lack thereof; you are more than a father, son, mother, daughter; you are more than any and all labels, and all without any need to add that you have some eternal spirit. Maybe you do, I don't know; I don't believe in such things.
But know this, we humans are so much more than the mere sum of our parts, and woe be to those that dare suggest we are reducible to the lowest thing, more so when they do so because religion drives them – in an effort to win the religious vs. non-religious debate. I've seen, "For the atheist, humans are mere animals, here by chance." Well... we are animals, and we are here in part because of chance, but also because we won. We beat the odds – somehow, we made it, so far. We won the game of life, at least for a moment. So no, we are not JUST anything.
You are so much more than I can even hope to begin to write about.
Of course, that's the good news.
The bad news is that we will not reach all the things – because even though we do have the potential to do it, that does not mean we WILL do it. Our bodies are limited, our minds are limited, and our desires restrain us.
Oh sure, I could work out every day starting tomorrow and get nice muscles for my effort – but I don't want to do that! I just do not want to! But maybe you have that desire in you! Great! Then you go get it! The worst thing we can do is not do the thing we CAN do – it's one thing to not be able to do (X), it's a whole other thing to not do it when you COULD do it, and more so if you want to. Nothing should stop you then – well... but reasonability – bills, chores, requirements, whatever... maybe.
But still, but still – you can maybe sort all that out and do the thing. That's what makes you great, that's what makes us great! We need to know that. You need to know that.
Well, maybe you did, but here is a reminder, that you are.
