The Shared Humanity Beneath Our Storiess

As I reflect on my own life experiences, I'm struck by an interesting observation. The way I feel about the question "What does it feel like to be 21 (or any age)?" is remarkably similar to how I feel about the question "What does it feel like to be a man."

Apart from the cultural narratives and social expectations we overlay onto these different aspects of identity, the experiential reality often feels no different. Underlying the surface-level differences, there seems to be a common, universal quality to the human experience. Fundamentally, our lived experiences as human beings may not differ as drastically as the stories we tell about them. Beneath the various demographic categories we find ourselves in, there is a shared felt sense of simply being - of existing and navigating this world in our own unique way.

I recognize that the specifics of age, gender, and other identities are certainly relevant and important. They shape our perspectives and inform our experiences in meaningful ways. But perhaps we would do well to look past the boxes we try to fit ourselves into and appreciate the common ground of what it means to be a sentient, feeling being, sharing this reality.

After all, isn't that the essence of our humanity - that fundamental experience of existence that transcends the narratives we construct? In those quiet moments, when we peel back the layers of social conditioning, there may be more that unites us than divides us. This insight reminds me to stay attuned to that universal quality, to the shared humanity that lies beneath the surface. It encourages me to approach myself and others with greater empathy and understanding, recognizing that we are all, at the core, simply trying to make our way through this journey called life.