HUMAN

What makes us human? Is it our intelligence? Our culture? Our communication skills? Our Tools? Or is it our hands? Would we have any of the aforementioned without our hands? Seems weird to place the blame of such magnificent things on something so normal, common, insignificant, and boring. I disagree. By developing the hands that we do today, with four fingers that spread out in almost any direction, flat palms, opposable thumbs, etc, we were able to develop the skills and traits that so distinctively make up us as humans. With our hands we were able to communicate, develop language, leading to the development of culture and art. Hunting and gathering. Being able to learn from each other. Building tools. Our hands were the gateway to who we became. More importantly though, our hands still help determine who we are, whether we're an artist, a craftsman, a chef, a mother, a technician, a scientist, an athlete, whatever, our hands are very precious. As common as they may seem, they are one of a kind to each of us.

Check out this photo project I did exploring these topics: click here!

So, how do your hands help determine who you are?  Take a look at them, think about them, move them, study them. They are here to stay! Get use to them. Sometimes hands are the only thing you have. Do you remember holding your mother's hand crossing the street and feeling the safety? Do you remember the first time you clenched your fist and felt the anger? Do you remember the first time holding your crush's hand and feeling the rush? Do you remember wiping away your tears and feeling the pain? Do you remember covering your mouth after saying something and feeling the embarrassment? Do you remember muffling your laughter and feeling the joy? Do you remember pulling the blankets over your head and feeling the fear?  Do you remember the first time writing your signature and feeling the control? Do you remember grasping a deceased loved one's hand and feeling the cold? I do.