Afflatus

\uh-FLAY-tuhs\, noun:
A divine imparting of knowledge; inspiration.

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We should recognize the universality of a phrase like, “There’s no place like home,” because it doesn’t imply our idiosynchratic locations, just an intrinsically shared and human concept. These will unite us. But without greater finesse and maturity it will not be enough.

We should share these needs rather than pit them against one another. Perhaps we entertain pockets of loyalty so passionately to ignore our insecurities—we want to be special, unique and loved. When we find a place and set of people who make us feel that way, we defend it wholeheartedly, under the fear that letting go of the contingent peculiarities will throw the whole barrel, slaked insecurities and all, overboard.

We all need this home. It seems likely that many of the loyalties we hold have only temporarily and superficially solved our greatest concerns—the need to feel like we belong, or like we are unique and intelligent, are all challenged when recognizing universality, perusing common human experiences, resisting an “it’s us and them” scenarios. In these cases, recognizing universality will throw out security with the bathwater because our insecurities are not solved or confronted, but persistently ignored or satiated by these otherwise arbitrary attachments.