A Case of Forgotten Identity

by Bruce Kasanoff

Can a human being get to age two without being shaped by their environment? Nope.

Someone tells you…

— when to wake and and go to sleep

— what to eat

— how to dress

— what is “safe” vs. “dangerous”, and “smart” vs. “not smart” (I’m being polite)

— who to play with

— how to feel

Then school comes along and suddenly you have teachers and classmates weighing in. “That’s stupid!” “Don’t be lazy.” “Those guys aren’t cool.”

You might even be told who to hate, and what ideas to fear.

Tests come close behind. They label you, and these labels start to influence your path through life. Some of these labels might originate because you were sick or distracted the day you took an “important” test.

Gaps emerge between who you are and how you are labelled. Some of these gaps are the by-product of a teacher or administrator or even a parent not being wise enough to understand the full complexity and majesty of who you are.

I’m not writing these words to make you feel regretful. What’s done is done. In many cases, I’m sure your true nature emerged despite all these obstacles.

I know that my mother’s well-meaning attempts to make me eat green beans failed because in my soul, I am not a green bean eater.

My point is simple: when we assume that we know who and what we really are, it’s entirely possible that may not be the case.

Getting in touch with the real you is a spectacular use of time and effort, but it can require more time and effort than you expect. From my own experience, I know that even starting down the road of self-discovery often requires a nudge from someone else.

{NUDGE}

You might think: it’s too hard… painful… complicated… challenging… overwhelming.

It’s not.

It’s a gratifying and wonderful journey, as long as you treat it as such.