Seeking slivers of light

accomplish this task alone. This question is complex because there is no concrete answer; to be human is to be a multitude of things. To add to the complex nature of this topic, my individual opinion of what it means to be human only sheds a sliver of light on the vast experience of human beings.

Anaïs Nin, an American-Cuban-French essayist, gives interesting insight into the importance of giving attention to a variety of perspectives when she says, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Every experience in humanity is like a single paint brush stroke within one large, evolving mural of chaos and collaboration. I will paint what I see, but I am only one pair of eyes amidst billions. I am only able to see a small window of humanity through my own life experiences. It is vital that every person has the opportunity to be a contributing artist to the mural of humanity. This has not been the case in the history of our world and, as human beings, we must change this with each step we take.

So here I am, extending an invitation to you and asking for your help so that our student body can deepen our understanding of what it means to be human. If you have an opinion or perspective you wish to share or have a conversation about, I would be honored to hear it. I want to learn from you because I firmly believe that every person has something valuable to offer. A part of being human is sharing — to give and to receive enriches the connections that we have with other human beings. With every connection that is formed, a greater understanding of another human being’s experience emerges. I hope that each article I write paves a new and unexpected path toward a deeper understanding of the multifaceted mystery of humanity as we all seek to understand what it means to be human.

EATON is a beat reporter for The Bison. She may be contacted at mvaneaton@harding.edu.