We are all humans. We all live, love, and laugh. That sounds cheesy, I know. We all have our strengths. We all have our weaknesses. We all have things that make us laugh. Make us cry. Make us happy. Make us sad. It’s all within us.
We are, most importantly of all, vulnerable to life. We are just mere specks in the universe (as Sadhguru puts it). We are nothing more than mortals living in this grand play. Everything we believe, we feel, we see, is paltry compared to the great existence itself.
We might be CEO’s. We might be MBA’s. We might be multi-billionaires. Or we might be living below the poverty line. But, we will all perish from this Earth at some point in time. And for that, we must come to terms with this beautiful vulnerability of us all.
How would it feel to be invincible? To feel like you are unstoppable? Unbeatable? A force of nature? How would it feel? It would feel pretty good wouldn’t it.
And that’s how I felt when I was a child, getting good grades in school and feeling adored and loved by my friends and family members. I was on cloud nine all the time.
And it wasn’t until college when I first came to terms with limitations and weaknesses. I had a hard time working through the Engineering school at Cornell, and it seemed like I had hit a brick wall in terms of personal development.
Looking back, I guess that the engineering career path just wasn’t for me. It wasn’t in the cards. And that’s okay. Even though I developed social anxiety and lacked social confidence during that time, I still look back during that time with a sense of fondness for going through this challenging period.
For feeling vulnerable. And human for the first time in my life. This feeling of vulnerability is something that I cherish - for it makes me realize that nobody is perfect. All the money in the world can’t save you from that feeling of humanity. It is the one common factor that we all have together.
It’s what makes us human beings. It’s what makes us simply beautiful and human. So, to realize this is an epiphany of sorts. To go through the period of struggle that I went through at Cornell made me realize that life, in itself, is a beautiful struggle. One where you will encounter lifelong friends along the way - supporting you through your growth and development.
And it’s this feeling of vulnerability that still lingers with me today. I know that I haven’t gone through the ringer yet. I know that there will be more struggles and challenges to face head on as my life progresses.
Right now, I am 36 years old. But, as I grow older, I’m sure I will come to terms with death and sickness. It’s the inevitability that feels like every person will go through it at some point. And it’s not something that should be discarded and seen as a form of humiliation or a negative.
It is a beautiful silver lining that we should all cherish - for it gives us compassion and empathy and sensitivity for the common man and woman. Being vulnerable is the greatest gift we can receive from whomever the creator of this beautiful universe seems to be.
Being vulnerable allows us to live life with a sense of gratitude and appreciation. Acceptance for the inevitable deaths that are to come. It helps us appreciate the present moment in all its fleeting nature. It helps us live and adapt and grow as human beings.
Being vulnerable is the most beautiful thing that can happen to man themselves. It is what strives us to accomplish and survive. It’s what makes us chase happiness and success. It’s what makes us tick and want to start a family. Accomplish new career exploits. It’s what leads us to come to terms with humanity itself.
It’s hard to explain in words, I must admit. But, my previous experiences with struggle (no matter how big or small they may seem in other people’s eyes) has made me come to terms with my own vulnerability and accepting my fleeting nature.
That one day, I will no longer appear on the face of this Earth. And I must make the best use of the fleeting time that I have. That I must live, love, and laugh. That I must continue to serve my family, friends, and community the best that I can. That I must enjoy all there is to enjoy on this great big planet of mine.
That I must one day learn to accept everything that has come before me, and everything that will come after me. That I am, in fact, just a speck on this great big ball of blue. That I should cherish the life that I have to live. And provide service to my community and my world.
To live is to serve and to serve is to live. And most importantly, I must accept everything for what it is. That it is fleeting. That it is temporal. But, it is yet so beautiful that can’t be explained beyond mere words. That is the nature of the vulnerable life.
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