On Humans

Looking beyond the surface.

Tonight I went on a walk by the beach to breathe in the sweet air and watch as the sun kissed the horizon goodnight. I noticed a man sitting awkwardly in the sand just a few feet from the boardwalk. Just behind him was a wheelchair. His wheelchair. He seemed to be paralyzed from the waist down. He appeared to be entranced by the glow of the descending sun and the melody of the crashing waves. I’m not sure how he got out of his chair or how he planned to get back in it. But I took note of the fact that he was sitting in the sand, deliberately seeking a connection to the evolving scene before him. He wanted to be part of the painting, not just an observer. Indulging in the richness that this world has to offer is to be more than just an onlooker.

Last Saturday morning I was walking along the boardwalk and came across tents with some local surf brands and some big brand names like Vuori, along with miscellaneous teams of surfers in neon shirts. I stopped in the middle of the boardwalk to let my eyes explore the scene and watched it unfold until I could piece together the puzzle in my head - which turned out to be an unnecessary investigation. I had failed to notice the table right next to me explaining the fundraiser. Team Quinn is a non-profit organization that “serves the disabled community and their families” (teamquinnsurf.com). Their mission is to “celebrate, encourage, support and share the richness and purpose that people with disabilities contribute to our human experience and our personal communities.”

I noticed the ramp that had been crafted on the beach and watched as teams of volunteers lifted people from their wheelchairs onto their surfboards and eased them through the waves. There was a boy with Down Syndrome who caught a wave on his knees and victoriously pumped his fists toward the sky, the echo of his laughter rippling through the crowd. Everyone on the beach and in the water cheered. He caught more waves and did it again and again and again. His excitement never faded and neither did my smile. The energy on that beach was as magical as it was contagious. I learned that Quinn, from Team Quinn, was a woman with cerebral palsy with a “passion and zest for experiencing life to the fullest.” I loved her quote: “There’s something about being in the ocean that connects people to one another, no matter how different we are. It constantly reminds me that I can push past my limits both mentally and physically.” This makes me think of the man this evening, sitting on the sand, transcending any perceived differences from the rest of the scene.

I like to think we are all connected in some way. There’s a good chance that I have just as much in common with that man on the beach as I do with someone in my college classroom. From my sister’s blog, “Everyone is so much more human than you realize.” Being open to being known and knowing others despite any outward differences is a necessary indulgence in the human experience. One cannot consider themselves fully human if they fail to acknowledge the worth of each and every other person in this world who is just as human as themselves, regardless of the variance in species. Everyone is capable of bringing value to this world no matter how limited their capabilities are. 

In the unseen chapter of my life, I had an older brother, but his diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, caused premature death in the womb. His “capabilities” didn’t extend past birth, yet he still brought value into this world and into our family. A few years ago we let his ashes free into the ocean with my grandfather’s. “There’s something about being in the ocean that connects people to one another.” I’m a terrible swimmer but maybe he’s the reason I can float in the ocean but not in the pool. It is during those brief moments, where time ceases to exist and I surrender to the currents, that I feel a profound sense of belonging. I float weightlessly in the ocean’s embrace, supported by the mysteries that lie beneath, feeling that there is nowhere else I am meant to be.

In the tapestry of existence, we are all interconnected. It is through our willingness to look beyond the surface, to celebrate the unique contributions of each person we encounter, that we unlock the true essence of our shared humanity.