Reflecting in the shadow of a thought.
![DALL·E 2024-04-04 20.28.22 - A thoughtful young person sits alone on a wooden bench in the middle of a bustling urban park. It's a bright spring day, and the park is filled with a.webp](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcjJUXWgByyEvJxrK3WA3nFYrbRES5ZxoCU5ea51SSWMJ/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-04-04%2020.28.22%20-%20A%20thoughtful%20young%20person%20sits%20alone%20on%20a%20wooden%20bench%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20a%20bustling%20urban%20park.%20It's%20a%20bright%20spring%20day,%20and%20the%20park%20is%20filled%20with%20a.webp)
Sunlight filters through the leaves, dancing along the paths of a bustling park in the heart of a city that never sleeps. Seated on a bench, I observe the ceaseless flow of existences passing before me: fragments of stories, whispers of lives that for a moment intertwine with mine, before disappearing again into the anonymity of the crowd.
My thoughts float free, without a specific destination, pondering the nature of these fleeting connections. What binds us to one another? Each person who passes carries with them a story, a complex inner universe, which eludes any attempt at simplistic classification.
As my mind wanders through these reflections, a thought emerges clearly:
"In every individual, there is an essence that transcends gender categories, an indivisible core that is, above all, human."
Before I can fully grasp this insight, I realize someone has sat next to me. An elderly man, whose eyes convey an intensity that forces me to pause. Without me having to speak a word, he seems to respond to my silent thoughts:
"That essence you speak of, is what makes us whole, beyond superficial divisions."
Surprised, I turn towards him, seeking an explanation. But the man continues, as if reading directly from my mind:
"Have you ever considered that, before we are defined by what distinguishes us, we exist in a state of pure potentiality?"
![DALL·E 2024-04-04 20.27.04 - In a serene urban park at twilight, a young person and an elderly, wise-looking man are sitting together on a wooden bench. The park is quiet, with tr.webp](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmV113UuYQyD6QhuoMonYRWwn3yXGKLrC5irVjA1HGZB1B/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-04-04%2020.27.04%20-%20In%20a%20serene%20urban%20park%20at%20twilight,%20a%20young%20person%20and%20an%20elderly,%20wise-looking%20man%20are%20sitting%20together%20on%20a%20wooden%20bench.%20The%20park%20is%20quiet,%20with%20tr.webp)
The dialogue that follows is a weave of questions and answers that touch upon the thread of existentialism, a mirror game between my quest for understanding and his enigmatic responses. We talk about identity, love, human connections, without ever naming philosophers or specific theories. It's as if, in this exchange, the entire universe is reduced to the bench we're seated on, an island of reflection amidst the chaos of the city.
As twilight envelops the park, the elderly man by my side breaks the silence:
"Have you ever heard of the original beings? They were complete creatures, with four arms, four legs, and two faces. They were neither male nor female but a perfect balance of both. They were so powerful and self-sufficient that the gods, fearing their strength, decided to divide them."
His words prompt me to reflect: if before the division we were complete beings, beyond male and female, then our search might not be for the other in a strict sense, but for a return to a completeness that knows no genders, a primordial unity that contains us all.
As darkness deepens and the man walks away, I remain seated with a new sense of awareness. In this brief exchange, I've glimpsed the possibility of a broader understanding of existence, one that goes beyond the divisions created by society. The conversation, though brief, has offered me a flash of insight into the original unity of being, an intuition that transcends categorizations and invites us to reconsider what it means to be complete.
And so, in the silence that follows, I realize that, in a sense, this reflection has brought me closer to the essence of what Plato, through the myth, sought to communicate: a call to recognize and celebrate the intrinsic unity that precedes every division.
![4580fec8-9faa-48e9-8fe6-f73c7c585811.webp](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUR31VM7FDzw4iABVFKp19YnfDNmx6e2vy8mi9mxjKBpT/4580fec8-9faa-48e9-8fe6-f73c7c585811.webp)
"The original human nature was not like the present, but different. The sexes were not two as they are now, but originally three in number; there was man, woman, and the union of the two, having a name corresponding to this double nature, which had once a real existence, but is now lost, and the word 'Androgynous' is only preserved as a term of reproach. In the second place, the primeval man was round, his back and sides forming a circle; and he had four hands and four feet, one head with two faces, looking opposite ways, set on a round neck and precisely alike; also four ears, two privy members, and the remainder to correspond. He could walk upright as men now do, backward or forward as he pleased, and he could also roll over and over at a great pace, turning on his four hands and four feet, eight in all, like tumblers going over and over with their legs in the air; this was when he wanted to run fast."
taken from: PLATO, THE SYMPOSIUM
the photos are digitally generated by me.
❤️ special thank you for encouraging me to write, to @wakeupkitty.pal @freewritehouse @yaladeeds @aminasafdar
@genomil @nooruleman @sbamsoneu @hudamalik20 @wakeupkitty @rokhani @ninapenda @hive-107855 and many others.❤️
No I never considered that because before we are defined we do not exist! The existing is the soul not the body. The soul enters, decides and leaves the body behind.
Watch this... Each one of us is already with at least two
Btw I noticed that hashtags in comments don't seem to work. Kind of strange.
I wonder what it is you seek writing this. The other half to create a ball? It might take some time to walk with four feet.
Would a Siamese twin understand what you mean? You provided a lot of food for thought.
Thank you, @freewritehouse, for grasping the essence of my efforts to deepen our understanding of the world around us.
😅I acknowledge that my initial message might not have been structured in the best way to convey the insight I intended to share. Therefore, I'd like to clarify further.
✍️At the heart of my reflection is a fleeting yet crucial moment of human existence: the first six weeks after conception, a period during which the being in formation does not yet have a biologically determined sex. This phase marks not only the dawn of life but also symbolizes the fundamental unity of the human experience, beyond gender distinctions. Contemplating this opens up broader questions about identity and the shared essence of our humanity, as well as how these perceptions shape our interactions. It's an invitation to look beyond superficial divisions, recognizing in each of us that common root that unites us.
💬Consider this explanation as an additional note to the text.
Thanks to you 🙌 for providing me with the opportunity to articulate these concepts more clearly.🤗
Thank you for the note.
Can it be identity is not more than that what one (likes to) identify him-/herself with and the shared essence is 'to be'?
👋
Exactly, We are colors (identity) drawing on the same sheet of paper. The sheet of paper is being.👋🌈
Thank you, friend!
![image.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmd7of2TpLGqvckkrReWahnkxMWH6eMg5upXesfsujDCnW/image.png)
![image.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWDnFh7Kcgj2gdPc5RgG9Cezc4Bapq8sQQJvrkxR8rx5z/image.png)
I'm @steem.history, who is steem witness.
Thank you for witnessvoting for me.
please click it!
(Go to https://steemit.com/~witnesses and type fbslo at the bottom of the page)
The weight is reduced because of the lack of Voting Power. If you vote for me as a witness, you can get my little vote.
https://x.com/maovecchi/status/1775976802428895632?s=46&t=3_f_Ezn0ZC5toFVJTRn1KQ
And here is my answer/comment (or Plato's]
https://steemit.com/hive-153970/@wakeupkitty/my-top-5-song-music-by-genre
While I listen to your songs while driving through the rice fields of the lower Po Valley is a true pleasure.
“Siúl a Rúin” transports me to the vast green valleys of Ireland, where love divided by circumstances finds solace in its melody.
“Perfect Harmony” reminds me of the love you weave in your tales among forests and magical elves; now I must stop and embrace that tree.
“Luna,” your ability to blend the notes of your lyrics like a true conductor is astounding. My soul watches and listens, a refuge for my sighs.
Piaf is a legend; her voice encapsulates her life.
Gigi 😂 reminds me of wild nights at Manga del Mar Menor, though I prefer Riky le Roy. The video with the line is spot-on and hilarious.
Thank you, now I continue my journey.
👋🌻🚗
Those line videos are great aren't they? I can watch them for hours 🤣
You see that cute devilish figure 😍 absorb the other one? If you ask me that is what Plato meant but your 'fat boll' also reminds me of the logo/guy/face of BOL.com (Books On Line)
I wonder with what exactly you drive through the rice fields. It's not always the case but rice is grown in water. It's a good thing you can swim.. Not that it will help you if you lay flat on your face between tje rice plants. But hey, the good news is if you still have that rope you can throw it my way and I pull you out (or I send Woof)
I wish you a safe journey 👋