Every time I see that someone has done something amazing, like performing a feat of strength, of agility, artistry, ingenuity, compassion, reparation, creativity, kindness, I hold my breath for a moment, in awe…
Humans do these things.
Humans are capable of this.

Every time I see that someone has done something heinous, like performing an act of hatred, of disregard, ignorance, malice, madness, destruction, terror, rage, I hold my breath for a moment, in awe…
Humans are capable of this.
Human do these things.

There are folks living in big cities, and folks on family farms. Some with more than enough, some with nothing at all. In small spaces and wide open places, millions of people, move through their lives. In the lap of luxury, and abject poverty. Seeking out pleasure. Dealing with pain. Doing whatever needs to be done, to make it through a limited number of days, and the seemingly endless nights.
Humans do these things.

Opening minds and slamming doors. Building communities and building walls. Forging the future and rewriting history. Sticking it to The Man, and sticking to their their guns. Feeding the hungry and feeding The Machine. Loving, caring, sharing, tearing each other down, and apart.
Humans are capable of this.

Every single thing a person does, can do, could do, might do, or imagines doing, is a human thing.
And this is what I need to understand. This is what I need to remind myself right now. This is what I need to tell myself, in order to comprehend, how you could do what you did. To fathom what it is that you have done.

Sometimes, humans do this.
This is just another human thing.
I hold my breath, for a moment…
Awful.
I have to understand this.
Again.