by Niel de la Rouviere

Created on: January 18, 2009

The true feat of humankind is not to be selfish, a game of survival just like animals hunting down prey, but in the human venture of sharing, inspiring and helping others. That to me is what makes life beautiful.

A smile, an unexpected thank you and touch of empathy can change lives. Just thinking that someone is sharing something with you is inherently a great prize and you should be privileged, even if you don't get the correct message the beautiful part is the the attempt not the content.

Often this is what seperates those that merely live life and those that go and grasp opportunities. They know they might not always achieve the best results, but they tried. The best reward is seeing those people achieve what they set out to overcome and standing back up when they failed with a brimming smile, happy that they tried and learned something from their attempt.

That is why one has to embrace the brave act of being selfless. The ego is a survival mechanism and if one can overcome that you have truly transcended and showed to yourself that you are human. Often one looks for signs in life to show that you are human, something that sets you apart from other animals, because you are lost in this field of primal desires, but look around.

The essence of human beings are all around you, the sharing of an intimate secret, the attempt of trying to convey a experience, a whisper, the extra tight hug on a Monday morning, a song that one shares, holding hands, a cherished moment together, talking: giving something to others that does not necessarily benefit you.

That is why the communion of two lovers is the penultimate feat of humankind. They give themselves selflessly to share an intimacy that is unparalleled among earth's animal kingdom. It defines the meaning to be human: love.

That to me is what makes life beautiful: the shedding of the ego to share experiences with unconditional perseverance and selfless caring for others. When you understand that live is not merely yours, but what you do to others, you will realize that you can be anywhere in this world and you will still feel the exact same if you don't have a person to share your experiences with. So next time you are sitting next to someone looking at the stars and you are in awe at this beautiful planet we inherit say thank you to the person sharing it with you, because without them your life will be a bland endeavour.

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