Our Common Denominator

Our humanity is the thread
That ties us all together
And differentiates us
From all other forms of life.

It’s our greatest curse,
Yet our most profound blessing.
It’s the source of endless inspiration
And the roots of our depravity.

When we look closely
At other human beings,
It’s ourselves we see
And come to understand.

It’s our shared humanity
That serves as
The common denominator
Linking us together.

We may deny our humanity,
Contest our similarities,
And protest that we are different
Or that they are not like us.

Whether we like it or not
There are things
We have in common
Worthy of observation.

One of our fundamental tasks in life
Is discovering our own humanity,
Accepting what we find
And exploring possibilities that allows us.