We have become experts at scheduling awareness days in our calendars, but have we forgotten how to see the person right in front of us? We share the same struggles with isolation and identity, regardless of gender or background. Let’s stop categorizing our pain and practice presence instead…
Beyond the Calendar: Reclaiming Our Shared Humanity
I’ve been looking at the calendar lately. We have a day for this, a week for that, and a month dedicated to everything in between. These markers are designed to create visibility, to give a name to the struggles of specific groups, and to bring attention to issues that have long been ignored.
And yet, as I sit here at my desk, I can’t help but wonder if we are losing something in the process.
As a Master Life Coach, I spend my days listening. As a human being, I philosophize and observe constantly. I hear the stories of women navigating a complex world, yes, but I also hear the stories of men wrestling with the darkness of their own depression. I notice people of all genders, backgrounds, and walks of life who are feeling the same sting of isolation, the same weight of senseless violence, and the same exhaustion from trying to fit into the ‘Standard scripts’ society hands us.
When we assign our struggles into gendered boxes or specific awareness days, we run a risk. We risk creating a hierarchy of pain. We risk making someone feel that their suffering, because it doesn’t fit the theme of the week, is somehow less valid or less deserving of compassion.
I believe we are currently witnessing a surge in human suffering that transcends categories. Whether we are discussing mental health, the erosion of safety in our communities, or the simple, quiet struggle to find meaning in a noisy world, these are not ‘women’s issues’ or ‘men’s issues’…
They are human issues.
If we continue to divide our empathy based on the categories on a calendar, we aren’t just dividing our attention; we are dividing ourselves. We are forgetting that the human heart, regardless of who it belongs to, experiences the same loneliness and the same hope for Connection.
My hope, here on virtual home AND for our world, is that we can move beyond the ‘awareness cycle’. Awareness is a start, but Connection is the goal. I want to invite you to look past the labels today. Look at the person sitting across from you at the bus stop, the neighbor walking their dog, or the colleague at the next desk.
Their struggle is not a trend to be marked once a year. It is a reality to be met with presence every single day.
Let’s stop categorizing our humanity and start practicing it. Together.
Stay Connected,
Patty
5 Responses
Well written indeed Patty! I couldn’t agree more. Exactly because of this I have never ‘celebrated’ these kind of days, week, months. Not even AnimalDay on the 4th of october. We are all Humans, so everyday is HumanDay, ánd (loving, and not eating an)Animal Day 😉
Thanks, Anuk!
“If we continue to divide our empathy based on the categories on a calendar, we aren’t just dividing our attention; we are dividing ourselves.” Well said.
Thanks Katherin! XxX
You’re welcome!