What did you say?
When I was recently asked this question, my answer went something like this:
“My name is Raenika Ashley Butler, I am junior at San Francisco State University. I am studying Psychology and after I receive my BA degree, I hope to attend grad school here in the Gerontology program. I have a fraternal twin, a younger brother who's nineteen, and an older sister who's twenty-six….” And so on and so forth I went.
Once I had finished telling the person who I was, I realized that I hadn’t really explained who I was, and that I had only told the person what it is that I do, what I hope to do in the future, and how many siblings I have. I never really told them who I was.
Honestly, the question who are you is a tough question to answer, because the first things that often times come to mind are evolved around the social constructs-- school, work, and family-- that shape our lives.
For instance, many of us have been students for at least fourteen years. So many of us might begin answering the question by describing ourselves as students or as accountants, or psychologists, or biologists, even though a student, or an accountant, or a psychologist, or a biologist is not exactly who we are.
Taking a second shot at the question after deeper thought, my answer went something more like this:
My name is Raenika Ashley Butler. I am a sweet, loving and caring, goofy, strong-willed, and sensitive young woman. I am a simple gal and I enjoy simple things in life. My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the center of my being and it is in Him that I live, move, and breath. I am a great friend to those that call me a friend. I am a great listener, and I can talk until the end of time, though I can also be quiet for hours. I desire to make a positive difference in someone’s life, even if the only thing that I do is make someone smile. This is who I am.
I now invite you to join me in defining who you are outside of the social constructs that we live in by leaving a comment below answering the question: Who are you?
My name is Whitnee Colleen Baker. This question of "Who are you?" is a difficult question to answer, because it really requires us to dig deep, and find out what really makes me me. If I had to answer I would say that I am loving, friendly, passionate, strong, loud, talkative, friendly, outgoing, and silly. :D I am sure there is more that I am not thinking of, but when posed with this question a quote by Marilyn Monroe comes to mind: "I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." I guess this in some way describes me, but the answer to the question is always changing, because I am always changing.
ReplyDeleteAfter re-reading "Who are you?" I had to sit down and really think about it. I often just say the basic things like mother, studet etc. I can say blunt,honest,risk taker etc. But there is so much to me that is deeply in grained, I rarely share my childhood but the question"who are you" makes me think back. I was raised in a house with both parents at one point and then it was just me and my mother.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was ten years old my mother was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Being ten I had know idea what that really meant and how my life would turn upside down. I can give more detail events but I wont. What I will say is that I know to my core, that my faith kept and keeps me sain. I could have took a differnt path with my life, but the lord had other things in mind for me.Raenika, I am so proud to see a young woman have a deep understanding that with God all things are possible.
Whitnee: Thank you very much for your comment. I am familiar with the Marilyn Monroe quote and I do agree that we are always changing as is our answer to the question.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you :)
Layloni: Thank you also for sharing a personal part of yourself with me and for your very kind and encouraging heartfelt words. With God all things are possible and it is because of His precious grace and his tender mercies that each and everyone of us can stand and be who we are today. I thank God for His Word and His strength to go on even in the hard times, and I pray that He keeps you in His perfect peace, love, and His will.
May the Lord continue to richly bless you.
Like the previous post said, this is such a elementary question but such a difficult one to answer. I think the common or short and easy way of answering this is to just state what you do as a living and the things you like to do during leisure time; in answering I usually just say that but don't include my personalities or they way I act which is weird. Of course, your hobbies and what your profession is are a bit of who you are but not completely.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to this question is quite long, but if I had to extend it I would include things about me as a person; in that I'm very impatient, short tempered, hyper, weird, short, old, not stereotypical, love the color blue, physically active, and emotional. I agree with Whitnee in that this question changes from time to time because you are always growing and changing as you age.