The word human
The wonderful meanings embedded in our name
The word human is very revealing.
Humility and human both come from the same Latin word: humus, which means earth or ground. It's a beautiful reminder that humility--as painful as it can be--is simply restoring us to what we truly are. Human.”
- Sharon Bodde Miller
A reconnection to soil is much needed these days. In this context, our name human reminds us who we truly are.
Human "human" originates from the Latin word "humanus," which is related to "homo" (meaning "man") and "humus" (meaning "earth"). We are earthmen.
Human entered English through Old French and Middle English. It derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰghem-, meaning, again, "earth." Here we have it again. Humans: people of Earth.
Our name leads us to recognize that we are the figure of a man made of soil. We need soil to survive. It’s where all our food and oxygen originate. We need soil. And the soil needs us. How so?
Did you know that we are designed to generate soil? Our urine and poop decay naturally into organic matter and become rich dirt: humus - the best kind of soil. Here’s how this cycle works:
We, humans, are natural generators of soil. Earthmen have been naturally designed to produce rich dirt by composting their natural residues. We are the bearers of soil, this magnificent giver of life.
Now we know the word human: a dose of Earth, a dose of man, and a dose of humility.
To be fully human, we must live all three.
Stay tuned,
Eva Sky Wymm