The Hyggelig Journey

In the course of daily life, concepts such as knowledge, self-knowledge, and the practice of goodness ought never to be forgotten. Yet not only are they neglected — they are actively abandoned, especially when they stand at odds with the ambitions of humankind. And therein lies the blind spot of human pride: the self — the ever-contemplated navel. I see it manifest in the most absurd of circumstances, where there is no sincere interest in understanding the other. The affluent denigrate the poor; the poor resent the affluent. But where, I ask, is our shared humanity? Where is the recognition that the destiny of one is bound to the destiny of all? That recognition remains — dimmed, tucked away in some forgotten recess — awaiting the rekindling of light. When I welcome a homosexual patient, I see someone in search of that very light, navigating life in a conservative, restrictive city that offers little room to breathe. When I receive someone ensnared in substance use, I encou...

There was always a door. Not wide, not narrow — simply there, as doors tend to be. People filed through it in decent clothes and decent thoughts, offering each other smiles approved by custom and time. I watched from a few paces off, not out of defiance, but because something in me paused. They said I could enter, if I wished. It would only cost a nod, a small silence, a looking away. Nothing dramatic. Just enough to fit in. Just enough to be invited to the right tables and clapped on the back by the right hands. But there were others — figures without names, without ease, the sort who carry their whole lives in their eyes. They were not welcome. Not at that table. Not beyond that door. And I, for reasons I could never quite translate into speech, could not leave them behind. So I stayed outside. Not with banners, not with noise — only with presence. They say one must choose: to be included by excluding, or excluded by including. I made my peace with the latter. It is quiet...

There is, after all, a fine yet profound distinction between being human and being humane. The former is a matter of birth, a biological inevitability; the latter — a choice — deliberate, tremulous, and often inconvenient. To be human is to possess a body that breathes and falters, to be bound by hunger, weariness, and the quiet certainty of decay. But to be humane? Ah, that is another matter entirely. One may walk the earth for decades, fully human yet never truly humane. One may have hands yet never reach out, eyes yet never truly see, a voice yet never utter a word that eases another’s sorrow. It is not the mere fact of existence that dignifies a person, but the unseen, uncelebrated acts — the pause before judgement, the mercy given in silence, the refusal to let another soul slip unnoticed into despair. And how often do we mistake the two? How often do we believe that merely living is enough? That to feel pain is to understand it, when in truth, only those who have tran...

Life is a journey of learning and growth – not a race for perfection. Each of us, at some point, will stumble. Whether through mistakes, failures, or unforeseen hardships, we all experience moments where we fall short of our own expectations or those of others. Yet, it is in these very moments that we gain the deepest understanding of what it means to be human. Those who have fallen know the pain of disappointment, but they also discover something greater – the power of compassion, both for themselves and for those around them. Every setback carries within it an opportunity for growth. When we falter, we come face to face with our vulnerabilities, our flaws, and the limitations of our current understanding. However, rather than seeing these as signs of weakness, we can choose to view them as invitations to learn. The experience of struggling – of standing back up after a fall – teaches us patience, humility, and, most importantly, empathy. Once we recognise how difficult t...

Whether we feel joy, sadness, anger, fear, envy, or rage, we cannot help but share our emotions with those around us. Even when we remain silent, we are wired to express our feelings through our faces, body language, and behaviour. Emotions enable people of all kinds to communicate, regardless of what they say — or choose not to say. It is no coincidence that this has been the primary reason for our survival across generations, and it will remain the single most decisive factor in humanity’s long-term success or failure. There is an inherent responsibility in being human—to strive for greater compassion towards one another. Perhaps no force shapes the human experience more than our ability to understand and harness emotion within the social fabric, using it as a tool for fraternity and mutual cooperation.