Who you are
Did you ever wonder who you are? I mean, what made you the person that you are. I have been thinking about that over the past few days and here’s what I came up with.
Let’s start with my family. My mom was a kind, caring person who loved kids. Though she disciplined me at times, I still could feel the kindness and love that she had for me. I would hope that that caring and love of children that I have comes, in part, from the way my mom brought me up.
Then there’s my dad. He was quite a disciplinarian. He always wanted me to be a great sportsperson as he perceived himself to be. The fact that I never became that person, I’m sure disappointed him. However, as disappointed in my athletic prowess as he might have been, he rarely showed it. Not that it was fun losing a lot of games, but he watched me play. He took me to the park to learn skills that I needed to be better at playing. So from him, I learned to accept what I could do, and enjoy playing more so than winning.
I have two older sisters. Marion, my oldest sister was kind of a second mother to me. Being 8 years older than I was, she felt she had the experience to show me the path I should take. Though most of the time I did not follow her advice, her advice was still there, a choice that I could make. From her, I learned that there are other points of view in the world and we need to at least acknowledge them.
Leslie, my third mother, is 5 years older than I am. Being the sister closest in age to me, I could relate to her more. She was the one that introduced me to ice hockey and also gave me advice growing up. She was a teacher. Her advice sometimes coincided with Marion’s, but often came from a different point of view. She continues to share events and activities that she partakes in with me and encourages me to do more. At this point in my life, I also get the opportunity to share some of my advice with her. It’s nice when it can go both ways.
Other influences in my life came from friends in college, who taught me to be myself and not try to be someone else, to become more independent.
Upon graduating college, it was colleagues that I worked with that became true friends and guides in the making of me. They allowed me to be creative, try new ideas, become more professional, and inspire others.
In 1985 I met the love of my life, and in 1993 my son, David was born. I must say that both my wife and son, have had a great deal in shaping the person that I am. No matter how long you are married, every day is a new adventure. A new part of you and the person you are with continually creates new things and the bond is strengthened. And raising a child and watching them grow and become the person that they are meant to be, not only builds your own self but hopefully imparts all the pieces of you into them so that they can become who they are meant to be.
Finally, there are all of you, my writing friends and readers. You allow me to be introspective and bring out the person that’s me. And for that, I am forever grateful.
And that is who I am. I am a collection of the others that cared to involve their lives with me as I grew up and stay with me today. Thanks for being you. I wouldn’t be here without you.
So, who are you?
