SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

How much of your life can you say is really yours?

This creativity seminar I'm a part of is really a great thing. I'm being told things that I've always known. But these things, I've forgotten, taken for granted, made to seem crazy due to norms and negativity. We were asked the question "How much of your life can you say is really yours?" during the session a while ago. At first glance it seems like a silly question, and I'm sure a lot of us will automatically answer "Of course my life is MINE!" But if you really think about it, if you go deeper, if you're honest with yourself, the answer could actually be depressing.

To understand the question, I looked at the opposite from two angles. Which part of my life isn't mine? First. The things I did as a result of the decisions of others. The things I did because they were obligations. The things I did to please other people. The things I did which were expected of me, by the government, by the Church, by school, etc. Second. I'm sure there were some things that I did which I really wanted, but just breezed through it. I didn't savor the moment. I didn't absorb it. It wasn't meaningful. Even if it was my decision, I can still say I ended up not 'owning' that part of my life. I'm more guilty of the second. I'm glad that my parents left me alone to decide on which course to choose, which school, etc. They didn't dictate to me anything regarding school and work. But I have to admit that I just breezed through some of the things I did, without really enjoying and learning from the experience.

Well, I just posted this for you guys to think about too. It's really nice to stop and think about things once in a while. I want to think of it as a blessing that I got, which I wish to pass on to you.