Heroes Not Zombies

I’ve often had discussions with patients about one of the most important paradoxes at the heart of human existence…….separateness and belonging.

We can’t choose between the apparent opposites of identity and self which we can explore from these two perspectives.

I am unique. My DNA is unique. My immune system is fine tuned to identify and react to whatever is “not me”.

I am also uniquely who I am as the subject at the centre of a vast, ever-changing network of relationships.

All of this has been thrown into a stark light with this pandemic. Separation has been pushed further with social and physical distancing. However, at the same time, belonging and connections have been shown to be even more crucial than we realised.

I think it’s really important for each of us to understand ourselves in our uniqueness, to have a sense of autonomy and difference.

I think it’s equally important for each of us to understand ourselves in our connections and relationships. We exist indivisibly embedded in families, communities, societies and ecosystems.

This photo of the flamingo standing apart from the flock always inspires me to think about these things. It captures the phenomena of reflection, separateness and belonging, all in one image.