Knowing yourself is life’s greatest puzzle. After almost ten decades on this planet, I am still constantly locking pieces and learning that some don’t quite fit. It’s truly a never-ending story that is both frustrating and rewarding.

Who am I?

It’s not an easy question to answer. Experiences, genetics, thoughts, behaviors, and a multitude of other attributes are what many people use to define themselves. A few people believe we don’t exist, and what people believe us to be is simply a character on the stage of life.

My philosophy lies somewhere in the middle. I know that I exist, or I would not be typing these words. I also know that who I am is very much defined by my environment and the people I associate with. I am comfortable saying that my words are not my own but rather the output of so many inputs from millions of voices worldwide. I am influenced by my friends, family, and people that I like.

What I Like

Isn’t it funny that one person loves pineapple on pizza, and another despises it? It’s a damn good thing, or nobody that likes pineapple on pizza would be able to find it. People would gobble up all the pineapple, and we would have a worldwide pineapple shortage.

I like morality. I like good people. I love genuine people that know who they are and don’t try to force you to be like them. I try to be genuine so I associate with people that are genuine.

It isn’t easy to put the finger on what makes a person genuine. It’s mostly a feeling you get when you interact with someone. Are they trying too hard? Are they inconsistent? Do they rub you the wrong way? Are they pathological liars that deserve a good snubbing?

Life On Record

Being myself comes easy. When I am trying to do something, rather than doing what comes naturally, life gets difficult. Sometimes I force behaviors upon myself to change who I am. Life gets difficult, but then it gets easier as I settle into my new role. It’s a fun Rollercoaster that never ends and never will until I’m dead.

When I die, people will change who I was to what they want me to be. I’m sure Jesus is rolling in his grave as people twist who he was into what they want him to be. Jesus wasn’t white, for the record.

Influence

When people try to influence me, it often rubs me the wrong way. If they lead me to new positive behavior or are leading a cause I believe in, I gladly allow them to influence me. I have grown and learned while being influenced by great people that have improved my existence.

I struggle with influencing people. Mostly because I feel influence is another word for manipulation in many contexts. I prefer to lead by example, then see where the chips fall.

Who Are You?

A fascinating problem is determining who you are. The number of ideas floating around about who we are would cover the sky like snow during a storm. To some, we are a genetic experiment manifested by aliens, and to others, we are a bag of meat held up by bones and nothing more. Others believe we were created, and others believe we have grown out of this world.

Defining who you are is a lifelong process, and each moment changes the reflection you see. Let’s have some fun pondering and learning who we are, shall we? 🎶