On the eve of my birthday this July (2024), I found myself reflecting on the essence of living with others. To truly live is to carve out room within ourselves for others. This is not a mere act of kindness—it is essential for our survival. We are surrounded by individuals of diverse natures: some speak softly, others profoundly; some are friends, some enemies. We must create room for them all, with grace and patience.

It is easy to think that we need only accommodate those who bring joy or share our thoughts. But it is in creating space for those who challenge us, even those who bring pain, that we grow. This space is not about quantity; it is about quality. It is the ability to listen when someone speaks, to understand when someone stays silent, and to hold steady when someone comes to break us. It is this ability that allows us to carry both joy and sorrow, love and hate, without being overwhelmed.

Maintaining such space is not an easy endeavor, but it is an essential one. This is what defines our humanity—the ability to be a vessel not only for ourselves but also for those around us, in all their complexity.

The lessons of accommodation come from every corner of our lives—family, friends, society, even our adversaries. Each teaches us, in different ways, to become more open, more expansive. And this openness is the path to becoming more deeply, profoundly human.