Whole Human

Although we’re all human sometimes it’s difficult for us to realize that a person is much more than just the face or the look they present. They are whole. Just like us. Their stories and experiences make them who they are. As much as we think we might, we will never know the full story of someone, to know every aspect of their personality and soul because it’s hard to comprehend all the pieces of a person’s life. You can be best friends with someone and still only know the basics; name, face and personality. You can know their favorite color, sports team and activity. Their parent’s jobs, where they live, who they like. You can know that they wear a watch every day, the same shoes, the same jewelry. You can find out all of these things just by looking at them, by talking to them, be-friending them. But unless you really listen, really involve yourself into this person you’ll never know why. Why their favorite color is blue, why their favorite team is different than their favorite activity. Why they live where they live, why they like that one kid. To understand why they wear the same old shoes, the same accessories, why they do all that they do is to listen. It’s hard to listen, it is. It’s hard to indulge yourself so deeply into someone else that you find out all the pieces of the story that makes up this human being. Hard to let go a little bit on the safety blanket that you keep close to your heart. Because “What if?” You think furiously. “What if I lose this person?” Through fate, or loss or anger. It’s safer to keep yourself just a little distant from the truth so it won’t hurt so much if you lose them. And this is understandable. But to really know someone is to really look. Really notice and really listen until you find the whole human. Where you can finally meet the person underneath the skin, and you can’t do that until you really try. Because what’s worse? Really knowing a person or only knowing what you allow yourself to learn?