The Soul

He steps with a splash into the puddle. Unlike its kin, this puddle is perennial, fed by the mist of a waterfall that never sleeps. He turns, breathes in the cold humid air, and sees her. She smiles and a thousand butterflies jump from the walls of his heart. He’s enamored. Taken hostage by her laugh. She urges him to “look up” at the natural beauty surrounding them. He pauses and soaks it in. A moment later, they move together as the trail winds through a moss-laden forest. An hour passes. Clouds argue with the sun over what color to paint the earth, and occasional beams of golden light bounce off the trees above. He raises his gaze to meet the horizon, feeling full. Light.

This is one of many examples of what makes us truly human. To experience the natural world. Each other. The reality of allowing our senses to take in our surroundings. Knowing nothing and no one can take it away from us.

Let’s face it. Technology is exploding. And those who control it will continue to strive for our attention. Now, more than ever, we must hold on to what truly matters. Real connection.

Let this push you this week, this month, and this year, to find ways that allow you to be human. Write that letter to your friend. Mess up a word or two on an email without Grammarly AI or prompts. And find ways with me to continue nurturing the thing that this impending intelligence can never take away. Our ability to connect, feel, believe, and love.