It's been an arduous yet big week. I've been trying to make it a rule to down more of my wayward thoughts in hopes of looking back and reflect. Even with this opener, maybe a month from now, life will be drastically different. Similar to how our lives change with the addition and loss of friends. Even in my novel, The Human Zoo, friendship is the key developer for the main characters.
Much like real life, and for most people, I feel we are shaped by our peers rather than our family. Because when you're out in the world, you're more often surrounded by your peers than your family. It's pivotal to find and develop those bonds able to wade the ebbs and flows of life. Below, Janaye reflects on what it means to be human to her. It's a beautiful short poem backed by emotions. I hope you enjoy it!
Being human to me means forming relationships and bonds.
Being human is intertwined with personal relationships.
Humans are nothing without each other; even the most introverted of people need others.
We thrive off what we mean to someone and what they mean to us; it's innate for humans to be with others.
I would be nothing, a shell of a human without my friends and family. Family shaped me, but friends molded me.
Family is essential to making a human; friends keep you human.