To Be An Individual

My life’s work has been dedicated to empowering the individual. I want to make the unseen seen. I want each person to feel celebrated for who they are. I want them to recognize the light within them and to share it.

Today I listened to a speech about how our society’s emphasis on the individual has led to our now lack of community. Excuse me, but I call, well…I disagree.

To be recognized as an individual does not mean to separate oneself from society; it means to be honored by it.

Let me ask you, if you were celebrated for your unique personality and gifts by those around you, if they enjoyed hearing your life story, the history of your family, your beliefs…if they supported you in your challenges while kindly encouraging you to consider different perspectives, would this make you want to separate yourself from others or might this make you feel more connected to them? I’m going to guess the later.

Being recognized for all that makes you an individual does not automatically separate you. In fact, being honored as an individual naturally builds respect and empathy towards others. Believe me, having finally been recognized for all my gifts and talents and the unique me has given me a greater connection with the world around me, and I witness this same freedom in the young people I serve everyday.

Give each other a chance. Ask someone his or her story, listen and then share yours. The stories will be different. Not a single human being on this planet is the same. Not one. So stop worrying. We don’t have to worry about being the same. That is not where comfort is to be found.

Our comfort is to be found in the love and respect we share towards one another. The more we shine light and celebrate our uniqueness, the closer we come to one another and to God’s hope for us.

To be sure, there have been individuals in our history and present that test this theory. Here is the key difference and what distinguished them: they were not empathizers. They sought to destroy other individuals. That is not the way. Look to history again and the present to find the real answer. Look to those who seek to build others up not to tear them down. By building each other up, we will build community.

I promise, there is plenty to find in common. Whether you have a shared story or not, there will be a way to connect. With an open heart it would be impossible not to.

With love and light,

LT