I Am
I am. Focus on these two little words comprising a grand total of three letters.
When we think of ourselves we rarely even think of these two words, we almost always focus on what comes next.
But these two first words are there and they mean something. The same is true when we think about others and the world around us. “They’re this”, “it’s this”, “he’s that”…
We don’t realize it but these seemingly banal statements make up the foundation of the human experience.
It is indicative of a reality common to all. It’s the intricate spider’s web of unity that connects all.
The words I am or anything along those lines serve as placeholders for all existential inquiries like: Who am I? Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?
They mean so much more than just letters because they imply that the speaker believes they exist. Therefore the speaker feels they are well acquainted with the human condition and existence as a whole.
The subject has never not existed because as long as there has been an I there has always been an am, regardless of their consciousness of it or their ability to put it into words.
Birth, death and all the joys and sorrows in between, they will be forced to experience in first person with nothing to hold on to but this reality summed up in two words, I am.
Whatever comes after these two precious words can be used to create divisions, but as long as we shift our focus to these two important words, we all become one and the same.
Without I am there is nothing, we are nothing. It’s these two words that we forget in times of tension and conflict. When we overlook this reality, we can sink into despair and fail to see that the world around us is an incredible extension of ourselves.
It’s ourselves taking various forms, shapes and sizes. We are different only on superficial levels; we are different only based on what lies beyond these two words.
In this sense, it doesn’t matter if it’s I am, she is, it is, we are, you are or they are. It’s all the same, and in order to live in harmony with one another and the world around us, we mustn’t forget it.
So the next time someone says something like, “I am going to sleep through English class.” take a moment to sympathize within you’re shared existence and contemplate the sheer weight that rests upon that tiny I am.
Written by: Enrika Béland
