At convocation dinner a few days ago a professor had us do something that, for me, was quite unique and surprisingly jarring. Now, as the disembodied voice invading the space that is your brain, I’m going to further overstay my welcome by asking you to take a moment and do the same. You weren’t expecting this, were you? Not only am I breaking the literary fourth wall but I’m also giving you a physical task — not your anticipated article reading experience, but I digress.

So yes, if you would be so kind to excuse my overstepping for a moment, I ask only that you take one to yourself. Try and clear your mind of anything you may be worried about or working on, those daunting tasks that seem to put a dark cloud over your presence on this planet, and gift this time to yourself — your work can wait, I assure you.

Take a moment to just close your eyes and breathe. Consciously fill your body with the oxygen that it — that YOU — need to survive. Do this for a moment, if you don’t mind, and, as best as you can, don’t think so much as merely exist. Feel yourself existing for a moment.

Now, I want you to close your eyes once more for me. This time, however, with that feeling of existence in mind, I want you to think on what you want to do with said existence. Think about what you want, what you like, what you love, who you love, where your passions and dreams lie — think on everything that makes you the beautiful, multifaceted thing that you are, and what you want to do as that glorious stained glass portrait of humanity. This is a big topic, so take as long as you need — I’ll be here when you get back.

Take a moment to look down at yourself — look down at the wonder that is your body. Recognize, for a moment, that all that passion, all that soul, all that love and magic lies within you. Within the wonder that is yourself.

If you could, look at the people around you, if there are any — or, if you are scrolling lonesomely through social media, perhaps take a moment to look or think upon all those little pixelated humans who pour their hearts, grievances, and experiences out in tweets, shares, and posts. Those people, like you, can and do feel exactly what you just did. That existence, that passion, the heartache and warmth that you just felt — that is experienced by each and every one of the other 7.125 billion humans on this earth. Your parents, neighbors, friends and enemies — every oligarch, every war leader, every person to ever exist, has and does feel as expansive, passionate, loved and loving, as you do. We are all human.

There’s an ineffable beauty in recognizing this simple fact — and, not only that, but FEELING it. I hope that I’ve been able to show you something, even minimally, about how interconnected we all are. And I hope that you’ll go through today and the next few days maybe a little more understanding of those around you — your fellow humans, the beautifully unique stained glass portraits that they are.

Much love and the most peaceful of waters to you all,

The invasive disembodied voice