Nature

I recently went to see the Disney movie "Chimpanzee" with one of my children.  I spent the first part of the movie marveling at how similar chimpanzees are to human beings.  I've watched the Discovery Channel before and seen some of the documentaries, but this is the first movie that I've seen that really showcased the intelligence of the species.  They live in family groups, socialize, show love to their children, and actually think.  About halfway through the movie, I had a revelation.  While they are certainly similar to human beings and they are so incredibly smart, they are missing something.  They are missing that human spark.  The part that separates us from the animal world... the human spirit. 

In my job, I get to see a great deal of human nature.  However, it's mostly the darker, more negative side.  I've counseled abused children, traumatized people, people in crisis, and people who are frustrated, angry, and in pain.  But I also get to see some amazing sides of the human spirit.  I see compassion, love, patience, and resiliency.  Many times I have thought, "how will this person recover from this?".  And always, it seems, through love and compassion and sheer determination, that person makes it through the ordeal.  It doesn't mean that it wasn't hard or that the person wasn't changed in some way.  It simply means that the human spirit is something that simply cannot be extinguished.  We love one another, take care of one another and show compassion in way that is unprecedented in the animal world. 

Are you going through something difficult?  Sometimes, life is very hard.  Reach out to one another and do what human beings do best... love.  There are so many people hurting.  If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time, reach out to another person.  Maybe it's a family member, a trusted friend, or a co-worker.  Or maybe it's a professional that can help guide you through this difficult time.  Remember that we, as human beings, are designed to help one another.  I truly believe that one person can make a difference.  What can you do today to show the best part of the human spirit?