Today is my birthday. The backpack is home, mud dried. In August I walked my Walking for Humanity route. What remains are the faces, voices, and small gestures I met along the way. So I’m asking for just one gift.
More humanity.
Not just in speeches or posters, but in the choices we make every day. In politics: fewer slogans, more listening. In policy: people before dossiers. In business: partners instead of “resources.” In insurance: trust before distrust. In friendships: time before busyness. And toward ‘strangers’: take the first step, even when we don’t yet understand each other.
That August walk taught me the same lesson, again and again: we share more than we think. A chat at a bus stop. A cup of tea at a kitchen table. Someone who walks with you for a while and asks how you’re really doing. It’s small — and that’s exactly where humanity begins.
So no bunting for me; pass that moment on to each other. Build bridges where there are rifts: between left and right, city and countryside, starter and retiree, newcomer and ‘old hand.’ Think with your heart and your head. Dare to say: “Tell me — how is this for you?” Be generous with the benefit of the doubt.
Imagine we do this for a year:
- In every meeting, one extra question: What does this mean for the person at the center?
- In every case file, one extra call: How are you experiencing this?
- In every neighborhood, one more encounter: Come join us, have a drink.
- Online, one comment fewer you’ll regret later, and one warm reply more.
That’s my birthday wish. Not for me, but for us. For the society we build together. For the children watching how we treat one another. For today’s stranger who might be your neighbor tomorrow.
Let’s choose kindness without being weak, clarity without being harsh. Let’s love each other in deeds: an open look, an honest conversation, a helping hand. That’s how the future becomes more beautiful, more humane, and better — for everyone.
If you want to congratulate me, do something small for someone else today. That’s exactly the gift I’m asking for.
