We are who we are. If only it were that simple.
For the umpteenth time, I am faced with the question of who I am, because on that decision depends so many more. The circumstances are irrelevant, but the question itself is not. If my identity decides my choices, and my choices then decide my identity, what comes first? The chicken, or its decision to lay an egg?
From the time that we are born, to the time we shut shop, we are being molded and influenced by infinite factors in the universe. Most of the well known ones are external, and tangible; like parental advice, teachers' guidance, peer pressure, and the internet. The subtle ones are internal, and difficult to unravel. Because when I'm making a choice, it is not obvious most of the times that the choice is making me as well. And yet, whatever changes that happen to me while making the first choice, plays a role while I make the second one; and so on. By the time I have reached my tenth choice, I will have forgotten how I came about choosing between my first choices, and will only remember the final decision of that choice, thus finally making that a part of me; and a part of 'Who I am!', so to speak.
I have read my share of the Bhagavad Gita, and I do believe in Karma, And intrinsic to the concept of Karma, is the knowledge of oneself, of who we are and what we truly want. Without that, every decision we take, and infact, anything we do, is akin to running in circles aimlessly. I have always believed that (one of?) the main purpose in life is to discover oneself in entirety, and thereby discover God. Now I revisit that premise, given my earlier doubt. Do we discover our true identity or do we create it?
As we go through the Everyday, there will be things that appeal to us, without logic and reason. Things that seemingly have no role to play in our lives, or at least the life as far as we have defined it. And yet, there is curiosity, to learn and experience that something new, that something that is without logic and reason. The choice is entirely up to us, and either decision will change us. To explore the curiosity, or stick to what we know.
The question to ask is, are we ever really done knowing ourselves? Ever certain that is no higher self possible? Ever truly finished growing up? Or are we too premature with the 'grown-up' term?
Curiosity is the need to know. Love is what comes after the knowledge.
Perhaps, we really are who we are, but not all that we could be.
So go on..
For the umpteenth time, I am faced with the question of who I am, because on that decision depends so many more. The circumstances are irrelevant, but the question itself is not. If my identity decides my choices, and my choices then decide my identity, what comes first? The chicken, or its decision to lay an egg?
From the time that we are born, to the time we shut shop, we are being molded and influenced by infinite factors in the universe. Most of the well known ones are external, and tangible; like parental advice, teachers' guidance, peer pressure, and the internet. The subtle ones are internal, and difficult to unravel. Because when I'm making a choice, it is not obvious most of the times that the choice is making me as well. And yet, whatever changes that happen to me while making the first choice, plays a role while I make the second one; and so on. By the time I have reached my tenth choice, I will have forgotten how I came about choosing between my first choices, and will only remember the final decision of that choice, thus finally making that a part of me; and a part of 'Who I am!', so to speak.
I have read my share of the Bhagavad Gita, and I do believe in Karma, And intrinsic to the concept of Karma, is the knowledge of oneself, of who we are and what we truly want. Without that, every decision we take, and infact, anything we do, is akin to running in circles aimlessly. I have always believed that (one of?) the main purpose in life is to discover oneself in entirety, and thereby discover God. Now I revisit that premise, given my earlier doubt. Do we discover our true identity or do we create it?
As we go through the Everyday, there will be things that appeal to us, without logic and reason. Things that seemingly have no role to play in our lives, or at least the life as far as we have defined it. And yet, there is curiosity, to learn and experience that something new, that something that is without logic and reason. The choice is entirely up to us, and either decision will change us. To explore the curiosity, or stick to what we know.
The question to ask is, are we ever really done knowing ourselves? Ever certain that is no higher self possible? Ever truly finished growing up? Or are we too premature with the 'grown-up' term?
Curiosity is the need to know. Love is what comes after the knowledge.
Perhaps, we really are who we are, but not all that we could be.
So go on..
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