Sponsor a Street Child in the Philippines

Juliet "Lifegiving" Bucoy

Sponsor a Street Child in the Philippines

I like to share an interesting part of a book i read, 'What Makes Man Truly Human", written by Michael Morga. The subject is philosophical but it is interesting to reflect on it since we are all human beings created by one SOURCE.

Human beings are not necessarily human. Such a statement may sound very puzzling but it is true for two reasons. First of all, it takes much time and effort for a human being to grow to the point where his own nature has reached full realization. When he acts like a little animal, he is not yet being fully human. It will take many years of training and education by his family and society, many years of effort and struggle on his own part before the fullness of humanity can be achieved. Until the state of full humanness is attained we cannot say that he is fully human.

Secondly, it is very possible that an individual human being will not reach full development at all. We recognize that there are human beings which fail to possess those basic qualities which are required for full humanness. Sometimes we use the word "inhuman" to describe such persons. They may be cruel, insensitive to others, irrational, or robot-like in their lives and dealings with others. At other times we use the word "animal" to describe persons who follow their lower instincts and ignore their consciences, their human dignity and the higher values of human life. We judge such inhuman people, such "animals" to be less than fully human.

But how are human beings different from the lives of trees and dogs? The fullness of humanity does not only take a great deal of time to reach but often in a significant way it is not reached at all. We are surrounded on this planet earth with many human beings who sadly lack very important human traits.

Such a truth challenges each one of us. Am I as an individual going to realize the full humanness that is possible for me? Will I play a role helping other human beings to grow into humanness that they are capable of? For the task confronts me in my life is not only one of coping with the problems of survival but also one of achieving a level of life that is truly human. I am challenged in life not only to survive and to be prosperous but also to be human.

But a question arises. What is this fullness of human life which we human beings can attain? What are these characteristics that we should strive to develop? What makes man truly human? This question is not a new one. In the course of human history philosophers have given many different answers to this question, many different ideals of being human. We call such ideals "humanisms".

As we study the history of human cultures we discover different humanisms which have inspired and guided those cultures. It is worthwhile to reflect on these various ideals since they open up to us many rich possibilities of human life.

The Greek Ideal of Full Development

The Greeks understood man as being composed of many natural potentialities, many possibilities for growth. They sensed that nature actively guided man to develop these potentialities, a development that was meant to reach a state of fullness or excellence. In such an understanding of life the fully human person is one who lives the life of a completely developed human being.

First, human beings have physical potentialities and it is possible for them to develop their bodies and their bodily skills. Some of these skills are connected with sports and leisure as they learn to run, to swim and to dance. Other skills are practical: the ability to type, the ability to drive a car or to fly a plane, the ability to master crafts such as carpentry or masonry.

Second, human beings have mental abilities that can be developed. They can expand their capacities to imagine and to dream of new possibilities. They can develop their human sensitivity, becoming aware of themselves, of other people and of nature. They can learn to think more logically and to bring rationality more completely into their lives. They can become more aware of the presence of beauty in nature and in the human arts. They can become more open to the realm of mysterious and the sacred. In many different ways the human mind can be developed.

Third, human beings can develop communication skills, learning how to read and to write and to talk. It may take many years to develop these skills but, once they are mastered, individuals are better able to function as full human beings. They can express their ideas clearly and forcefully. They can bring understanding, joy and beauty to those who read what they write or who listen to what they say.

Fourth,