I Am Only Human

“I am only human,”
I hear people say
As if that is
A legitimate excuse
For being fallible
Or playing small.
What does it mean
To be human anyway?
It’s our humanity
That differentiates us
From all the rest
Of creation.
We alone tend to argue
With reality
Insisting things shouldn’t be
The way they are,
But we also have
The ability to dream,
To see things
As they could be.
We may fall short
Numerous times
Of fulfilling our visions,
Yet we stubbornly continue.
Sometimes we wander
Down blind alleys,
Butting our heads against walls
Insisting there must be a door,
But we are also capable
Of rising to greatness,
Of overcoming
The circumstances
Of our lives.
Being human is
A two-edged sword,
A blessing as well as a curse.