Connecting to Humanity

Trainer Tip: We can expand our connection to humanity by considering the many strategies people use to meet our common needs. Trainer Tip See into life—don’t just look at it. —Anne Baxter Consider the possibility that everyone on the planet has the same basic needs—that in fact, having the same needs is part of what makes us human. We all need love, shelter, food, water, connection, fulfillment, and to be valued. In each household, culture, or country, the ways we go about meeting these needs might vary, but not the needs themselves. I have a need for family, so I stay in weekly contact with them and visit them once or twice a year. In some cultures, people live with their extended families to meet this need. In others, elderly parents move in with their grown children. We all try to meet our need for family in one way or another. Similarly, we all need shelter, but we may live in houses, tents, huts, or castles. Our strategies differ, but our needs are the same. This is what connects human beings across all cultures and lifestyles. The next time you are in conflict and catch yourself thinking that the other person doesn’t care about the same things you do, consider what needs she may be trying to meet with her actions. You may be surprised to find that both of you choose different strategies to meet the same needs. Today, consider the underlying needs people strive to meet through their actions. This trainer tip is an excerpt from Mary Mackenzie's book Peaceful Living, available from PuddleDancer Press.