Humanity, And The Trials We Face

Sometimes, I forget how lucky we are to live here. Not only do we dwell in the shadows of the coastal mountains and on the banks of the picturesque Straight of Georgia, both of which are often drenched in fiery red light by gorgeous sunsets — we live somewhere that accepts our individuality and our humanity.

It makes it all too easy to forget that that’s not true everywhere.

I tend to ponder the question of humanity more than I’d ever like to admit. I never find an answer — I don’t think anyone knows what really makes us human — but I know we’re not here to fall into orderly lines beneath the bloodstained heels of tyrants. We’re not here to suppress or to be suppressed, to hate or to be hated, to kill or to be killed. We are here to express ourselves, to be unique and powerful and brave, and when that beauty is taken from our fellow humans, it hurts.

As the women in Iran are still being forcefully deprived of their humanity, is it not our duty as fellow humans to fight for their liberation? Is it not our most basic human instinct to speak, and share, and donate, and care about them as their government imposes death penalties for acts so heinous as wearing a hijab wrong?

Just because they’re on the other side of the world doesn’t mean their lives are any smaller than ours. Just because our humanity is safe doesn’t mean that theirs isn’t under attack.

Every life is precious. Fight for it.

- Matt Shipley