Amidst conversation recently, a friend said “but you know who you are.” I try to ask these inward questions to myself honestly, hence “do I?” is the response it evoked. And it seems, on greater reflection, that who we are is who we’re not. Let me explain further:

Despite a busy schedule, etc, I endeavour to have remarkable people gravitating around me when opportunity and mutual interest arise – be it colleagues, friends, and/or explosive lovers. With a respect and willingness to be influenced by such people, along with time spent with them, come the mannerisms, expressions and ways of thinking that rub off on you. This can be viewed as one of the fantastic parts of life. Even in adulthood, the trajectory of personal growth thus continues. And this drives us into embracing new risks, experiences, etc; ever evolving elements of who we are.

The values with which we were raised are also simultaneously present, and often times further solidified in us as the years go by. Therefore, though we may muster up the courage to jump into certain new endeavours or adventures that seem appealing, we will never act upon the negative and contradict who we are. If somebody proposes we do something that goes against our intrinsic moral code, or directs (consciously or not) our personality in a direction we don’t like, our position will be clear. For we are who we’re not.

Before I sign off, I want to detach away from this topic somewhat, to leave you with this quote for possible further thought/discussion: “I am not a thing – an actor, a writer – I am a person who does things – I write, I act – and I never know what I’m going to do next. I think you can be imprisoned if you think of yourself as a noun.” – Stephen Fry.

All the best to you all.