"What is the Purpose of My Human?"

I've been sharing Hannah Gadsby's work with a friend of mine and in Gadsby's Ted Talk she poses the question, "What is the purpose of my human?" And I think that is the most relatable question I have ever heard. "What is the purpose of my human?" My human life? My existence? What am I here to do?

My friend and I, we relate to this comedian on so many levels. She grew up not knowing she was on the Autism Spectrum. (I found out right before high school and my friend found out a few years ago.) Gadsby has also experienced traumas and internalized shame. But our stories still pale in comparison to her's. Which makes her an amazingly inspiring person to look up to. She still made so much of her life despite all of the BS in it, despite the weight of her past. I know of the heavy emptiness that can settle into your heart when in the midst of despair over your own history.

So, in honor of all of this I'm going to attempt to do a "free write" around the question, "What is the purpose of my human?"

What am I here to do? What is my job? Am I even doing a good job? Can one be good at a job when they have no idea what it is? To me the purpose of my life might be for me to glean meaning from all of my lowest points and to use that to propel me into a much higher place. Like a sling shot... If I can dissect the pain of my past in order to get at the heart of it, reach its depths, and then find my way out of the darkness in order to share what I have discovered in the darkness. To share my healing process, to share how I managed to shift the way I saw my trauma, so that I could magically turn it into something beautiful. If I hadn't struggled through the quicksand and through the darkness, I wouldn't be able to guide others to the light at the end of the tunnel. What is the purpose of my human....to me the purpose of my human is to take what I have learned first hand and help others so they won't feel all alone in the dark. If my own darkness can help save others from their darkness, than I am willing to accept that sacrifice. I know I am not alone, but hopefully one day after all of us have had lessons on compassion, patience, and love, there won't be anymore children, teens, or adults abused and traumatized by other humans. Hopefully one day we will all see each other's humanity and treat each other with kindness above all else.