I KNOW YOU

But you knew that already

I know you. I know you very well. I may not know your name. I couldn’t pick you out of a lineup. Heck, I couldn't pick you out of a one person lineup. If you (and only you) walked into a room with height lines on the wall and I was standing behind the one way mirror, the cop would turn to me and ask, “Is this the person?”

I’d say, “I have no idea.”

But, I know you. Here is a short list of what I already know about you:

• You were born.

• You had biological parents.

• You were raised.

• You had a childhood.

• You learned things.

• You have been happy.

• You have been sad.

• You are coming from somewhere.

• You are going somewhere.

• You have hopes and dreams.

• You have had successes.

• You have had failures.

• You want to be happy

• You are trying.

I might not know many details. We can work through those over a cocktail, or something. But I know you.

We’re all in this together.

Oh sure! Based on this list it means that you know me, too. Yes! Yes, you do. Based on this list it means you know everybody. And everybody knows you. If you know everybody and everybody knows you, then that means there are no strangers in this world. Correct! There aren’t. I am not the kind of person who is going to throw out “A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.” That’s a bit presumptuous. Some people you haven’t met you aren’t going to like. You don’t have to be friends with any of them. But, you know them.

You will notice that this list works for anybody. It doesn’t matter race, religion, sexual orientation, height, physical ability, or station in life because these are all just facts about being human. You know everybody because we all are having (to a degree) the same experience. Fun!

In practical terms, it means that no matter who you meet - no matter who you may come across, you have (we all have) a LOT in common. We understand each other on a level far deeper than we give ourselves credit for. We are all human, so we all know what we are all going through. 

EVERYONE IS TRYING.

Everyone is trying. Not just trying to be happy. Everyone is trying. Period. And trying hard. Every decision everyone makes throughout the day is in an effort to, not just make it through, but to somehow succeed (however that might be defined). Think about the shirt you are wearing right now. You made a decision about wearing that shirt. You thought it was a good shirt to wear for whatever it is you’re going to do today. You put some thought behind it. Even if it was just a little bit of thought - you gave it some thought. You tried. To that I say, “Nice shirt!” And that was just one of the first, easier decisions you are going to make today. 

Everyone is trying. Give them credit for that. Either they're having a bad day because they're trying and it ain't working, or they're having a good day because they're trying and it is working. Regardless, they're trying.

We are all trying.

This fact is at the heart of happiness: we all share the human experience. We can come across a complete stranger, look them square in the eye, and say “I know you”. We can instantly commiserate with what we have both been going through, nod our heads at each other like, “Yeah. Right? I know! And thank you for trying.”