Only Human

Human not robot

Because we are human, and not robots, things influence us. All the time. From our birth on day one until the lights go out. Sure, robots detect things too, but only when they have been programmed to do so. And even though robots detect things they are not influenced by them, they either respond or ignore.

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^{© Raoul Hollants Photography.} 

Animal

Animals detect things, but only in as far as they need to do so in order to survive, they do not appear to be aspirational. We are the only animals who have decided we are above all other beasts and this seems to be linked to the fact that we are able to determine the fate of all others. So, we have responsibilities beyond our own existence and can influence events – but we can be influenced by them too.

We can protect and behold animals, breed them, exploit them with or without kindness, protect their habitat or destroy it. But perhaps it is when we display kindness, in place of blunt physical superiority, that we really show what makes us truly different.

The sensitivity embedded in human kindness is always switched on. We learn at a young age that it can be taken advantage of, so we shield and protect it until we are confident that there are no threats lurking. Dropping your guard is something you do most often at home, which explains why people take such care in creating a comfortable one. Because you can be your best as a person when you drop your guard, it is important that you surround yourself with things that comfort and console you.

Just as a comforting toy can fill a child with joy and at other times help them to overcome difficult situations, we too can find pleasure and consolation in the objects we fill our homes with. The flicker of a burning candle. An inviting chair after a long tiring day. An attractive table at which to eat with family or friends. A soothing lamp to read a book by. Things that set the mood, influence us, because we are not just a bunch of robots.

No, we are only human.