personhood

In my reading recently I came upon the information that neither ancient Hebrew nor Greek languages had any word for 'person.' In fact, the concept did not come to light until in the first centuries when scholars began to reflect on the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit and the Father God. Growing understanding of the Trinity - that three divine Beings lived both uniquely and in community, agents of choice and participants of self giving love - introduced a new concept of human as 'persons:' individual personalities, uniquely separate, agents of choice and yet profoundly communal.

The concept of personhood is elegant - one of my favorite ideas about being human. I love that life is manifested utterly uniquely in each one of us - the marvel of agency and personal beauty and possibility - stuns my mind. I am ridiculously alive in my own singular (and your own) form, a person, and yet dependent on the interaction with you, each of us shaping the other, physiologically, emotionally, spiritually. Our formation is far from mechanical; it is art my friends. Each of us is art. And somehow tied to us being like God.

I scratch my neck as I write this. My fingers reach out and feel my soft skin and go back to the keyboard. I turn the music up because I like this song, even though Steve doesn't. I finish up so I can go exercise. I anticipate a conversation with Steve. This hour - this very hour I am living is unique and rife with meaning. It is a miracle. I am here. I am dancing.