We are never who we think we are because with each new challenge, we question our choices and eventually come to question ourselves. When we face doubt, it's a sign that part of us might experience some transformation of perspective, of nature, of movement. Whatever that change, at the heart of it lies the human desire to seek something new. When we resist, there is more tension, and we have to ask ourselves if we should fight it or relinquish whatever power/energy we have to create some semblance of peace. In most cases, we can give up a part of ourselves and the other side too, but we can also fight for a part of ourselves and the other side too. And so we shift, we colonize, we make an adventure, and we compromise. Such is the nature of our wavering identities. Essentially, we can be anyone we choose if we choose to relinquish our hold on the past. We can be anyone. And we can also be uniquely ourselves whatever that might mean to you and me. We can get along with other humans if we adapt ourselves to the environment in that moment.
I'm not proposing that we give up the integrity of our spirit by succombing to someone else's idea(s) of who we are, but to try cheating our proclivities slightly to appease the one on the other side just to feel what it feels to see things from that side. However impractical and foolish that gesture may be, I think in the end, you come a little closer to understanding the diverse entities of human nature.
In my world, there is no 'side', there are only variations and explorations. No one is left out of the equation. Everyone is a friend and everyone is an enemy, and all the other mixtures in between. It's rather nice to be everything and everyone at different junctures in my life journey with no hatred towards anyone. Just a calm acceptance that this person is another gift of the human evolutionary cycle.
We are all part of each other in some way. If we are bad, then others learn from our conduct and are challenged by our conduct. If we are good, then others are inspired by our conduct and are also challenged by it. If we are imperfect, others learn to accept their imperfections.
Now I've become a bit Dalai Lama-ish in this post. But I just started writing and didn't know it would conclude in this way. I hope you enjoyed it and hope it might cause you to think how you yourself can be many people not just yourself.
Take care. Peace.
