Good Weather Forecast: Superhumans

Do you feel superhuman? I guess we all had some moments where we were like “Here I am, world, bring it on!” and were ready to take on anything life throws at us. This might work sometimes, but then life really starts throwing things like bills, rent, worries and more and when reality hits us smack in the face we feel less superhuman and more like we are really and completely a super-limited human.

Right now, I do feel super and I do feel human. It’s the combination I have problems with. My super feeling is because I am about to finish university, but reality has already shown me the human-side of things. Applying to jobs I thought were perfect for me but apparently the companies didn’t share that opinion. Having to figure out what comes next in my life. A lot of mundane, human things.

And then I come across the new album from “Good Weather Forecast” called “Superhumans”. It’s awesome and I love it, but having “Superhumans” stuck in your head while feeling everything but is a challenge. Have a listen:

See what I mean? I do feel like a kid from another time, where living dreams and achieving the impossible is a daily routine, where I am strong and fearless and superhuman. I want to be indestructible and save the planet while looking awesome doing it.

I’d love to be like Superman or Supergirl – changing the world though a great job by day while saving it in disguise whenever needed. Balancing being human and being super really well. But life is not a comic and I am also not from another planet with special powers. Although people around me continue to tell me how talented I am and how the world needs my (superhuman?) skills, somehow nobody actually wants to pay me for them. But even Superman needs to be Clark Kent with a day job, because nobody pays him for saving the world.

While I’m trying to find my human Clark-Kent-Job to pay the bills, I also think about where I can be superhuman and make the world a better place. I don’t always have to do big things to do this – sometimes small things are enough. Like when I give someone a small heart made of ribbon and they smile because of that little unexpected gesture. Often, it doesn’t take much to make a difference, we just have to do it.

Back to the song – if I’m not feeling superhuman, then what can that song tell me? Yes, it is a song and it doesn’t have to describe life as it is. But I still think there is an important message here for everybody, no matter how superhuman they think they are.

Since I know that the guys from GWF are Christians, I could take the obvious route and say that we are superhuman because of Jesus and his Spirit living in us. While it is true that Christians have the power that raised Jesus from the dead at their disposal and thus a lot of impossible things could happen, most Christians never experience this power as a lightning speed or being able to fly or being super strong physically. Christians are not enhanced humans with fun abilities that are better than everybody else. The comparison would work on some levels, but I won’t go into it.

Instead I want to suggest a different approach, which is applicable for the Christian life, but also for life in general. “Superhumans” talks a lot about the things superhumans can do, but for me it is more about who I am.

We were kids of another time
Brave hearts running like the wind
We were souls of a different kind
Wildfire is burning from within.

The most important thing is the heart. It’s a superhuman being not a superhuman doing. Yes, in all the stories superhumans can do great things, have all kinds of abilities – but to make them heroes they need a good character – they need not only the abilities to save the world but also the will and the courage. There has to be passion and fire for the weak, the ones that can’t fend for themselves – and then the hero does something about it. Clark Kent ist not Superman because he is strong and can fly, but because he helps people. He always is superhuman because that’s who he is, it’s his identity all the time, not only when he uses his powers.

Being superhuman doesn’t mean we are better than others, it only means in some areas we can do more for others. Because of talent and passion and selflessness we dare to defy the status quo and try to make a difference. “Living the impossible” is believing that there is always something that can be changed for the better. And we all have different areas that are most important to us – human rights, diversity, equality, peace, fair trade, helping children, caring for elders, protecting animals and much more. We don’t have the strength to fight in all these areas at the same time, we need to figure out where we are passionate and can do something.

In the video you can see at the end that these superhumans are not only free of their cages but get out together. They have different abilities and strengths (and weaknesses, too), but their identity is still the same and so they can band together and tackle the world. The whole song is about “we” are superhumans, not “I” am superhuman. We need others with the same goals, even if their skill set is different.

You can be superhuman, too. If you are not only thinking about yourself, but you care about social issues and making the world a better place, then you ARE superhuman. It’s not a job and you probably won’t get paid for it. But it is who you are, it is your compassion and your love for others. Like Superman, you don’t have to sit around and wait to do something great, just live your life. And when the opportunity comes, when others need you and when you can help, then be there. Do everything in your power and use your skills, be strong and show your superhuman side. Then you can go back to being human with all your struggles of normal, boring life until you are needed again.

Find others like you and start to change the world together. Maybe it’s some big campaign or maybe it’s just a little gesture. But it is not for yourself, but for someone else. There are many ways and we can start now. Like superhumans.