What Does it Mean to be Human?

Humans… it’s what we are, it’s what I am, but what does it mean to be a human? Tuesday during our history class this question was raised. We were asked to think about what it meant to be human. Well, what does it mean to be human? Does it mean that we are species with a highly developed brain? Does it mean that we are social? Or does it mean that we a capable of destroying Earth? Yes, being human does mean that we have or are able do these things, but it also means much more.

A few weeks ago I rented the movie “My Sister’s Keeper.” Millions of tears rolled down my cheeks while watching the first 30 minutes, but it made me realize that I had to be thankful for the healthy life I have and that I have to be thankful for all the things I don’t have to do because I don’t have a sibling that is dying and needs one of my organs. Anna Fitzgerald was a child born only for one reason, to save her sister’s life. Anna was a baby made by in vetro fertilization so that she could be a genetic match for her older sister, Kate, who is a leukemia patient. For Anna being human meant giving up her organs when needed to save her sister.

What it meant for Kate to be human was to live her life as a leukemia patient struggling to get better. Even worse, she had a mother that did not give her the right to die. Kate lived in pain. Does being human mean we have to live in pain?

The recent earthquake in Haiti also made me think about what it meant to be human. Right now, people in Haiti are going through a very tough time and a lot of people are dead. In this case did they have the right to die? Some people may argue that it would be better for most Haitians, who have very bad injuries, to die. This would mean that they wouldn’t have to suffer from all the pain and injuries that this earthquake may have caused, but also, this earthquake made me open my eyes to learning that to be human might mean that you can do something good or something to help in a time of need. While watching CNN News, a clip was shown of CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent and neurosurgeon, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

A 15-day old baby girl had just lost her mother because of the earthquake. Her house collapsed on her and she received a head injury. According to the clip, they had been begging for a doctor. Sanjay Gupta took care of the baby’s injury and said that she would be ok for now. This made me think, does being human mean that you can reach out and give a helping hand?
I have not decided what it means for me to be human, I don’t even know what I want to do when I grow up, but I do know that part of what it means to be human for me is always trying to give a helping hand. Being there in a time of need, but not having to give up my organs like Anna had to do for Kate. Maybe as a human, I can’t always do the extreme, but as a human I can give a helping hand.

by: Stephanie v. Romondt 10b