What is it to be human and why are we here? Being human brings up many questions. I’ve heard many times that “we are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.”
That being said I offer you “The Art of Being Human” adapted from ‘The New Book of the Art of Living” by Wilferd A. Peterson
Being just an ordinary human being wandering along the pathway of life, I’ve evolved this simple philosophy to guide me:
- To affirm that I am proud to be a member of the human race; to recognize that regardless of color, class or creed, humankind’s destiny is my destiny, and that only as we learn to live together will we move forward together.
- To accept life as it is and to go along with it, bravely trying to change what needs to be changes and serenely adapting myself to what cannot be changed.
- To realize that no experience in human life is alien to me and that my responsibility is to meet whatever happens to me with fortitude and courage.
- To admit that, being human, I am bound to make mistakes, but to make as few as possible and to try to avoid making the same mistake twice.
- To recognize the frailties and foibles of human nature and to try to be everlastingly patient, forgiving and understanding. To promptly forget slights and insults and to hope that others will not hold against me the winged arrows that may in anger or irritation escape my lips.
- To share my courage and hope with others and keep my fears, heartaches and disappointments to myself. (Writing them down may help with a new perspective – they do need to be processed)
- To go my way quietly and humbly and not worry too much about mysteries I cannot explain. To do my best here and now and let the future take care of itself.
- To be grateful for the precious gift of life with its limitless possibilities. To recognize the ability of human beings to rise to great heights and to outdo ourselves in miraculous works. (There are many examples of this – Mother Teresa, Gandhi, the list is very long!)
- To understand that the goodness of spirit can be known through human goodness; that when I express the highest and best self I can be, I shine with the light that is inside of all of us.
- To confront the inevitable fact that I share with all human beings a common end: that someday this human life will end, so we should help each other while we can.
- To admit that, being human, I often fail to live up to my own philosophy, but to keep trying nevertheless.
“As humans beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world… but… in being able to remake ourselves. Mahatma Gandhi