Human Beings: We are One

Spring break is a time to go new places, try new things and have a time of relaxation and adventure. It’s also a time of recuperation from the stressful semester. Over this past spring break, I took a trip to Chicago and just explore around the Windy City.

There were so many different kinds of people and families, new foods to try, shows to see and museums to stroll around. But, one thing I noticed consistently throughout the entire visit was the diversity and how refreshing it was. The colors, the ages, the clothes, the scents of their perfumes and colognes; It was intoxicating to take it all in, and I couldn’t take enough pictures to capture the moments that took my breath away.

One moment of beauty that struck me as most beautiful was when I was walking through the Chicago Institute of Art. I had just passed the corner when I noticed an older gentleman who held a worried look on his face and seemed to be reaching out his hand as if he were grasping for something beyond his reach. Then all of a sudden he started to speak, saying, “Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me, now.”

I looked towards the direction he was reaching and noticed another man his age coming to console his friend. “Now, now,” he said, “I’m not going to leave you. I’m right here.” And those words spoken aloud were so comforting to hear; it made me want to weep. It didn’t matter if these men were brothers, life-long friends or lovers. It was two beings that searched for each other in a crowded room, and that was the most beautiful piece of art I saw throughout the entire trip.

What this moment sparked was a thought that occurred to me as peculiar. If we are just people and we all share the same emotions and fears, why do we find it proper and excusable to treat each other with animosity sometimes?
In downtown Chicago, it killed me to see people on the street brush by every homeless person whether they were scamming or truly that unfortunate. We have desensitized our society to think that whatever task is relevant to ourselves is the one with the highest priority, no ifs, ands or buts. What happened at the Institute was brief enough to help me have a moment between my conscience and myself, and helped me realize that I am one of six billion individuals on this planet where we all share the same struggles and successes.

We often forget that we are one. We cry and we laugh, we have both friends and enemies, but we fail to realize that something we all strive to have is someone that just understands that personal craving. Someone to hold your hand or listen to your troubles, whether it is a family member or friend, lover or stranger, we need others to take the time and be there.

Amber is a freshman majoring in journalism and public relations.