MANY PARTS TO BEING HUMAN

You are far more than a body.

Far more than a mind.

Far more than your emotions.

Being human is a full-time balancing act…
and a beautiful one.

We walk around this planet every day.

We get up.

Go to work.

Run errands.

Raise families.

Solve problems.

Make plans.

Fall asleep.

Wake up and do it all over again.

And while doing so, we rarely stop to consider what an incredible thing it is to be human.

No other creature on Earth has access to the quality of life that we do.

No other creature builds cities, writes books, composes music, explores space, creates families, develops philosophies, and asks questions about its own existence.

Human beings are remarkable.

Yet for all our accomplishments, we require a tremendous amount of maintenance.

MAN DOES NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE.

Most people understand the physical part of life.

Feed the body.

Exercise the body.

Rest the body.

Care for the body.

But the body is only one part of the equation.

There are many parts to being human.

Psychological.

Mental.

Emotional.

Physical.

Spiritual.

Each one requires attention.

Each one requires nourishment.

Each one contributes to the whole.

Psychological needs influence behavior.

Mental needs stimulate learning and understanding.

Emotional needs help us connect, love, grieve, celebrate, and care.

Physical needs sustain life itself.

Spiritual needs help us discover meaning, purpose, wonder, and our place in the greater story.

THERE IS A LOT GOING ON IN THE INVISIBLE WORLD.

Many of the most important things in life cannot be seen.

Trust.

Hope.

Faith.

Love.

Purpose.

Character.

Integrity.

Wisdom.

You cannot hold them in your hand.

Yet they often determine the quality of your entire life.

One of the greatest mistakes people make is feeding one part of themselves while neglecting the others.

FEEDING ONE IS NOT FEEDING ALL.

A person may be physically fit yet emotionally exhausted.

A person may be intellectually brilliant yet spiritually empty.

A person may be financially successful yet psychologically overwhelmed.

A person may appear strong while quietly struggling inside.

Balance is the key.

Too much attention in one area.

Too little attention in another.

And the system begins to wobble.

Sometimes the imbalance creates genius.

Sometimes it creates chaos.

Most often, it creates unnecessary suffering.

As I wrote in Pearls for the Soul:

“The human being is not one thing needing one answer. It is many things seeking harmony.”

— Richie Naggar, Pearls for the Soul

Getting to know another person takes time.

Courtship takes time.

Friendships take time.

Parenting takes time.

Building trust takes time.

The reason is simple.

Human beings are layered.

Complex.

Multidimensional.

The same is true when getting to know yourself.

That journey requires patience.

Observation.

Reflection.

Honesty.

Curiosity.

Many people spend years learning about everyone else while knowing very little about themselves.

Perhaps the greatest project you will ever work on is understanding the person staring back at you in the mirror.

EAT AS YOU GO…
AND GO SLOW.

Life is not a race.

It is an experience.

Things connect to other things.

Lessons learned in one area often improve another.

A stronger body can improve emotional well-being.

A calmer mind can improve physical health.

A stronger spiritual foundation can improve relationships.

Everything is connected.

The other day I saw an elderly man eating an ice cream cone.

At first I saw an old man.

Then I saw something else.

I saw a child.

The same child who had once laughed.

Played.

Wondered.

Dreamed.

Explored.

And it occurred to me that beneath all the years, responsibilities, titles, and experiences…

The child was still there.

The child never completely leaves.

That may be one of life’s greatest secrets.

WANT TO KNOW ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO LIVE?

Remain curious.

Remain playful.

Remain teachable.

Remain grateful.

Remain capable of wonder.

In other words…

Live like a kid for as long as you can.

Not childish.

Childlike.

There is a difference.

Children are present.

Curious.

Open.

Forgiving.

Quick to laugh.

Quick to explore.

Quick to marvel at simple things.

Maybe that is why they seem so alive.

The many parts of being human are not asking for perfection.

They are asking for attention.

Nurture them all.

Feed them all.

Balance them all.

And watch what happens.

Life begins to feel whole.

— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com