Humans Humaning

Leaving my place of employment—the public high school—I was delighted by the “please be patient; student driver” bumper sticker on the car in front of me. I think we all ought to have one as a reminder that part of being human requires patience from others since we’re bound to get distracted or forget our blinker or miss a turn or slow down to observe the deer frolicking in the field—all things worth pausing and hesitating for. Another way of saying this is that maybe one of our more unique traits as humans is taking our time, appreciating our in-the-momentness rather than scurrying like the chipmunk at the slightest sound or buzzing efficiently from flower to flower like a bee or climbing the wall like a lizard when light flickers. Meandering, wandering, pondering—all of this tends to slow us down, making us pause, which is cause for all of us to post please be patient, human humaning signs not only on our cars but also in our eyes that reflect back the beauty of this world.

I’m also delighting that the driver of this car, or more so their parent/guardian, acknowledging the noviceness at hand, sort of displaying their vulnerability to the rest of the world in the form of asking for grace, which is nary an easy task when we so often fake it til we make it rather than bask in our inadequacy and inexperience and need and ask for help which could maybe connect us a bit more, inciting a feeling of dis-alienation.