Ten years ago, I faced something that forever changed the way I look at life and what it means to be human. My father passed away. It was the first time I encountered death so closely, and though I didn’t share a deep relationship with him, his death left me shocked and deeply saddened. It forced me to confront the fragile reality of our existence.
As a Hindu, I witnessed the rituals that followed. His body was burned, and what remained were ashes—just ashes. It hit me: is this all that human life amounts to? The rituals, the grief, and then the inevitable fading of what was once a person.
It’s in moments like these that we ask, What makes us human?
Is it our physical form? If so, it’s fleeting—burned to ashes in mere hours. Is it our achievements, our possessions, or the relationships we hold? These too feel temporary when we think about the bigger picture.
I’ve come to believe that what makes us human is not our physical existence but the way we live, the emotions we feel, and the meaning we give to our lives. It’s the love we share, the kindness we spread, and the memories we leave behind in others.
Life is short, fragile, and unpredictable. The moment we realize this, we start to value it more. We start to see the importance of living intentionally, being present, and finding purpose—not in what we leave behind physically but in how we impact others and how we live every single day.
If you’ve ever faced a loss, you’ll understand the mix of sorrow and awakening that comes with it. It’s a reminder that while we may end up as ashes, our humanity lies in what we do while we’re here.
What do you think makes us human? Is it our impermanence, or is it something deeper? Let’s reflect together.
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