The X factor

The X factor

What is unique in a human being? Fingerprint, iris, retina, ear, lips, tongue, voice, toe print, or teeth.

What is common among human beings? Love, loneliness, guilt, laughter, tears, yearning, regret, aspirations, or dreams.

The need to be accepted seems at conflict with the yearning to be different. Do you want to be treated as an equal? Yes. Do you want to be different from the rest? Yes.

How is that possible? Have you ever juxtaposed these two yearnings? 

I have. And this is how I see it. I am only as different as the next person. Meaning, I want to be respected and loved for who I am because there is no one like me…no one with the same thought process, skillset, personality, identity, emotions, perspective and dreams. I am unique. And because the next person is as unique as I am in all these aspects, we are the same.

While I want to be known for who I am, I don’t want to be treated differently from another person. And I won’t treat another differently from the way that I wish to be treated. If I crave respect, I will respect the other person just as much. If I crave acceptance with my flaws and not despite them, that is exactly what I’ll strive to do with the people around me.

In the maddening trend to discover the next ‘X’ factor, discover yourself in the person next to you. Understand that they too are as unique as you are.  And Love your neighbor as you love yourself.