In spite of our programming, we all depend on love

​The boys and I went to see the movie 'Wild Robot' yesterday. I walked away feeling like we all need to be a little more like the main character in the movie, Roz the robot. And yet, at the same time, I think we all need to be a lot less like her.

The story is about a robot that gets stranded in the wilderness with a collection of wildlife. Because Roz is a robot, and she isn't programmed to survive in the wilderness, she initially struggles there.

Through some re-programming, though, Roz adapts to her new surroundings. It's through this adaption that she is able to help the wildlife in her new community understand that like robots, they too are programmed in ways that don't serve them well.

We humans, like animals, are wired for survival. Our instincts keep us always on the lookout for threats in our lives, even if we aren't always aware of that. We inherit our instincts from genetics and from our upbringing and from experiences across our lifespan.

The problem comes, especially with us humans, when we we start to see threats where threats don't really exist. Sometimes that's because our instincts get wired to anticipate the dangers of our past, or of our ancestors' pasts, and we live in a constant state of suspicion or mistrust or even animosity toward others.

For the past week, I've watched recovery efforts from hurricane Helene all over the country. I've seen people come together from all walks of life to help others survive a once in a thousand years storm. At a time when it too often feels like our programming pits us against one another, neighbors and fellow country women and men are becoming more than their instincts often point them to being.

Their instincts overridden by empathy. Compassion.

In the movie, Roz, a robot that was programmed not to feel, reprograms herself to feel what the animals around her are feeling. And in doing so, in a moment of crisis, she helps those animals understand that sometimes it's not our instincts that help us survive, but our ability to feel beyond our instincts into the hearts and struggles of those around us.

Oh, somedays I love that we have the instincts of a robot. They are instincts that can protect us from dangers.

But then there are days, many of them, when I loathe that we humans are far more robotic than we care to imagine or admit. Robotic beyond a capacity to feel the pain and suffering of those around us. Robotic beyond a capacity to set aside judgment and biases and prejudices in favor of kindness.

And in favor of love.

We are all born to love. We truly are. But sadly, life comes along and programs us, like robots, with instincts that teach us how to survive in spite of love.

Only, that is a lie we are taught and too often accept. Surviving in spite of love is impossible. I've seen it over and over in scenes of raging floodwaters and debris this past week.

There is no life preserver like kindness and love.

I think we all need to be a little less like Roz, a little less robotic.

And yet, at the same time, I think we need to embrace the beauty of Roz, this capacity we all have to override our instincts in favor of kindness and love.

Because in the end, no matter what our programming says, our survival depends on it.