“I am human.”

Have you ever read words that brought more comfort than these? Right in this moment, I haven’t. If you watched me daily you would see that I just live life. It’s messy and yes this is an understatement. I swear. A lot some days. I cry, also a lot some days. I’m easily frustrated. I get excited for the little, stupid things. I’m always in fear of something. In a crisis I am the strongest most courageous person you will ever meet. I’m egotistical. I’m prideful.

I am human.

I’m also gentle, compassionate, devoted, dynamic, loving, resourceful, creative, open, honest, and real.

Everything I’ve listed about myself is both good and bad. They are things that can benefit and harm depending on the circumstances. The complicated part about being who we are (good and bad) is remembering that we are human. Nothing about any of us is perfect and that is easy to forget. We exhaust ourselves trying to be everything for everyone or we live in hurt because the people (they too are human) around us wound us, often unintentionally.

I’m going to encourage us all to see ourselves and those around us for what we really are. Human. This means we are full of positives and negatives, we are loving and hurtful, we are everything and nothing… we are human. Don’t live in the hurt someone causes. Realize they are human and so are you. Live in the grace, mercy, and freedom that brings. Are you hurting? You are human. Did you hurt someone? You are human.

Allow that reality to sink in, it’s not an excuse or a way to take advantage. It’s just a truth.

Sarah Deats

Sarah Deats is the Hope Inc. Stories Inspiration Engineer. Her goals are to make a connection with everyone that she can while building community, spreading hope, and sparking change. She believes that while life may not be easy, it is never lived alone.