Humanity is black and brown and white and infinite, glorious other tones. It is preemie and teen, middle-aged and elderly. Humanity is supple, spare, furrowed, hideous, wiry, gorgeous and fat. It is long-legged and stout, walks hunched over and crawls on its knees. It limps with crippled arms drawn to its chest, and glides along exquisitely. It is sweet and reeking, chiseled and smooth, ratty and chic, and thankfully never perfect. Humanity bleeds.
Humanity is iron-clad abs and double chins, muffin tops, beer bellies, rotten teeth, gorgeous curves, saggy boobs, hard arms, unruly curls, waxed bald heads, botox lips and tattoos. It is blind and deaf, blond and brunette, ebony and ashen, gay and straight, female and male and everything in-between.
Humanity is artist, driver, janitor, billionaire, chef. It is designer, clerk, nanny, vagrant, vet. Humanity is bumbling fool and genius. Humanity is a spray-tanned, petulant, petty, small-minded, selfish, immoral wreck. It is an enigmatic child, speechless and seizing, careening through each fragile day.
Humanity is mother, father, brother, sister, child, criminal, saint. Humanity loves who it loves, shares its woes and hides inside. Humanity seizes and shits, suffers angst and despair. Humanity is ignorant and bigoted, embracing, progressive and wise. Humanity sticks a needle in its arm and a finger down the back of its throat. Its flesh and bones are riddled with disease. It is gluttonous and ravenous, skin sometimes stretched over starving bones. It wars, invades, rapes, beats, murders, imprisons and steals. It stumbles, bruises, breaks, grieves. It too often turns on itself.
Humanity—of another kind—is compassion. It is charity, love, empathy, openness, benevolence and gratitude. It is selfless, magnanimous, forgiving and generous. It shares freely of itself, expecting nothing in return. Humanity is not excess nor greed, nor is it oppressive. Humanity helps its brother and sister. It is not afraid of other. Its kindness and understanding have no borders. It reaches deep, crosses divides, walks in the shoes of others, empathizes with the little guy.
Humanity is iron-clad abs and double chins, muffin tops, beer bellies, rotten teeth, gorgeous curves, saggy boobs, hard arms, unruly curls, waxed bald heads, botox lips and tattoos. It is blind and deaf, blond and brunette, ebony and ashen, gay and straight, female and male and everything in-between.
Humanity is artist, driver, janitor, billionaire, chef. It is designer, clerk, nanny, vagrant, vet. Humanity is bumbling fool and genius. Humanity is a spray-tanned, petulant, petty, small-minded, selfish, immoral wreck. It is an enigmatic child, speechless and seizing, careening through each fragile day.
Humanity is mother, father, brother, sister, child, criminal, saint. Humanity loves who it loves, shares its woes and hides inside. Humanity seizes and shits, suffers angst and despair. Humanity is ignorant and bigoted, embracing, progressive and wise. Humanity sticks a needle in its arm and a finger down the back of its throat. Its flesh and bones are riddled with disease. It is gluttonous and ravenous, skin sometimes stretched over starving bones. It wars, invades, rapes, beats, murders, imprisons and steals. It stumbles, bruises, breaks, grieves. It too often turns on itself.
Humanity—of another kind—is compassion. It is charity, love, empathy, openness, benevolence and gratitude. It is selfless, magnanimous, forgiving and generous. It shares freely of itself, expecting nothing in return. Humanity is not excess nor greed, nor is it oppressive. Humanity helps its brother and sister. It is not afraid of other. Its kindness and understanding have no borders. It reaches deep, crosses divides, walks in the shoes of others, empathizes with the little guy.
Beautiful. (Thank you.)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, beautiful post. Carl and I are in Big Sur -- or near it -- and we decided that we need to visit Maine. Can we stay with ya'll?
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