What made Jonathan different from other seagulls in the story about Jonathan Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach?

Mevina said: Jonathan Livingston Seagull differed from the other seagulls in Richard Bach's story of the same name, in that Jonathan became aware of himself as a being capable of more than learning to fly only to suffice his physical needs.

He realized that with aim, will, and effort he could strengthen his character to mine and develop his talents and thus participate in his own creation.

And the story implies that is each of our jobs, too.

There is an old saw, "Life is a learning process." While that is true for us all, each of us has a choice in how far we choose to work on ourselves to complete our own creation and, extending the concept, make the world a better place starting with our own example of ourselves.

And although no one can ever complete themselves during their time on earth, we each get to choose moment by moment how willing we are to develop ourselves to the extent our time and talents allow.

Why bother?

Well, life starts to look like a pretty strange phenomenon if you dwell on it awhile. ... Perhaps there really is more to it than meets the physical eye.

And besides, self creation is rewarding, at best in the learning as well as the knowing, and at worst after one gets through the pain of the learning.