What is it that makes us so human?

A question from Coupland's "Life After God" that really got me thinking was, "What is it that makes humans human?" ? I think that what separates humans from animals is something no one can see or define, but most call it "the soul." What does the soul enable us to do that other animals can't? Mostly, it gives us creativity. I've never seen a beaver paint a mural or bust a move. This creativity is what makes every person different and makes the human world so interesting. So, the ability to create works of imagination and art is what I think mostly makes a human human. But then, what if someone loses that ability due to a tragic car accident or some other disaster? Are they still human even if that function of their brain is gone? And if so, what is it then that still makes them human? Do they still have a "soul"? Now I'm just freaking myself out.

Another question I wanted to ramble about was, "Do we have our most important memories before we reach the age of thirty?" I can relate to the narrator's feeling that we do. When you're young, you are experiencing everything for the first time, so those memories are more vivid in your mind. I don't remember every kiss I've ever gotten but I will never forget my first one, just like I'll never forget my first alcoholic drink, my first date with my first love, or my first attempt at driving. I do not necessarily think that these firsts are always the most important memories we have, but they are definitely the most vivid. I think that as we get older, we dwell more on our memories of being young, so they may seem more important in that way. We long to be young and free again, so we cherish our memories from those days, instead of thinking about how great the memories we're making now are. I find that the years are flying by now, whereas they used to take an eternity, or at least seem like a whole year. I find myself grasping for each day, trying not to let it escape. I stay up until 5 AM with my friends to try to stop time. Unfortunately, that method hasn't worked but it has created many more memories to be cherished. Hopefully I'll still have that after I'm 30.