5 Times You Had To Say "I'm Only Human"

There's only so much you can do, you know. To hear the song that inspired this post, listen to Rag'n'Bone Man's "Human."

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1. When a Friend Needed Help You Couldn’t Offer

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When you ran into them, you asked how they were. The answer was clearly “not good.” They had real problems and had run out of luck. You helped them with what you could, but soon it became clear that the help could only come from work that was theirs alone to do. You parted ways. They weren’t happy about it, and neither were you, really. But you’re only one person, and there is a limit to what you can do.

2. When the Two of You Broke Up

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"Why is this happening?" they asked. You didn’t want to deceive them. You loved them too much. You told them how you felt. It did not go well. Their tears and their curses made it clear they were putting all the blame on you. You wished it didn’t have to be this way, but you understood why it did. They’re human, just as you are.

3. When Your Family Asked for More and More

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Your mom was in shambles and your dad just said nothing. Your brother and sister were nowhere to be found in all of this. So you handled it as best you could. Whatever the problem was, everyone was certain you could solve it. Eventually, you had to tell them that you couldn’t shoulder this burden all on your own. Some of them understood, but others blamed you. It hurt, but you had to respect the fact that you had limits. You’re only human, after all.

4. When the News Was Just Too Much

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The news on TV was bad, but everyone rallied. Donations were made. Letters were sent. Time was volunteered. It felt good to help at first, but eventually you had to take a break. You couldn’t write as many letters or volunteer as many hours. You wanted to donate more, but you had to make rent. You blamed yourself for not doing enough, but you’re no prophet or messiah. You’re simply one human who can't be expected to save the world all by yourself.

5. When You Couldn’t Keep a Promise to Yourself

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For a long time, you kept that promise. Day in, day out, you recommitted. All it took was one mistake, and your streak was gone. The promise was broken. You wouldn’t forgive yourself and nearly went off the deep end, breaking the promise again and again, over and over. It went on like this until you remembered that you’re a person, and people make mistakes. You started over and made the promise to yourself anew.

This post was inspired by the song "Human" by Rag'n'Bone Man. You can hear the song right now on Apple Music.

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