The Invisible Thread That Binds Us All: Sonder

Imagine you’re the protagonist of your own biographical movie, where your life unfolds as the main story, and your family and friends play supporting roles that shape your journey. Occasionally, people you kind of know make brief cameo appearances, each adding a unique layer to your story. However, beyond this familiar cast lies a vast world of individuals you barely notice—the “extras” in your movie. These are the unknown faces you pass each day, integral to the setting but often overlooked.

This concept introduces us to “Sonder”—the realization that every person around us is living a life as vivid and complex as our own. They have their own dreams, challenges, joys, and sorrows. Their stories are full of details, chapters, and characters that we’ll never know. Yet for a moment, our paths intersect with each other.

Consider walking down the street, passing someone lost in thought. They might be pondering their dinner plans, dreading over an upcoming test, laughing on a friend’s joke, or wrestling with a personal dilemma. Our lives touch briefly, sharing the screen for a moment in this grand narrative of existence, even if we never meet again.

This awareness struck me profoundly one evening as I sat in a park, a place I frequent not just for the ambiance but for the perspective it offers. Sitting on the ground, I observed people engrossed in their phones or lost in conversation, children playing, couples romancing, each person an extra in my life and I in theirs. It’s a curious thought—viewing ourselves as mere background characters in someone else’s story—yet it highlights a profound truth. Although our paths may diverge, never to cross again, we shared a brief, significant connection.

Sonder illuminates the interconnectedness of our lives. While we each navigate our own complex journey, together, we compose a vast, vibrant human experience. Understanding this develops a deeper empathy for those around us, even if they are strangers.

So, the next time you’re navigating the hustle and bustle of daily life, take a moment to observe the people around you. Each one harbors a universe within, swarming with stories and experiences as rich as your own. Perhaps you’re merely an extra in their narrative, and they are in yours, but for that moment of contact, you’re part of something larger—a shared chapter in the collective story of humanity.

By embracing this perspective, we not only enrich our own lives but also cultivate a sense of compassion and empathy for the “extras” in our story, who are, in their own right, the protagonists of their own unforgettable tales.