Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve met some wonderful people who were new to me. When they’d ask what I do, I too often replied that I was a retired banker. UGH. That’s not what I do now. That’s not who I am now. Or is it?
Am I stuck in who I was? And if so, is that getting in the way of my honestly being who I am NOW? Heck, I haven’t been a banker for more than ten years. Why is this question so tough for me to answer? Why isn’t my ego satisfied with simply saying, “well, today I…” in response to, “What do you do?”? A few months ago I posed a similar question and got some rich replies. So I know I’m not the only person who has a tough time answering this seemingly easy question.
Earlier this week I was visiting my mom at her Senior Independent Living Apartment complex. While there I met so many fascinating people – most who are in their 80s and 90s. Earlier in their lives these people were college presidents, philharmonic stars, humanitarian, environmental, political, military and business pioneers.
While in conversation with one of the gentlemen there, he said, “Please, tell me three things that have made you who you are today.” I LOVED that! After I did, I turned it back to him and he told me:
I’m someone who’s learned the value of asking for help. So I do.
I’m someone who knows that we are offered more than one significant lifetime soul mate. So I pay attention.
I’m someone who trusts that I can learn from everyone I meet. So I ask questions and listen.
I told him I wanted to be him – ha!
What are three things that made you who you are today?
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
1) Being a military brat taught me the value of community.
2) Going to college and struggling to find the path to what I was destined to become, instilled in me a curiosity I still rely on today.
3) Seeing the kind of marriage my parents had, from the inside out, showed me the kind of commitment, sacrifice, and strength of character it would take for my own marriage to remain successful.
YOWZA Don ~ these are amazing indicators of the man you are today. am darned proud to “meet” ya.
what I do, or did, for money isn’t who I am and here are 3 things that helped me get to that understanding:
1. spending time on the Dine (Navaho) reservation with some of the tribal teachers
2.getting a blue corn tattoo
3. being in the delivery room when my granddaughter was born and having her look at me when I spoke
WoW! I love this. What an incredible man he must be and I do hope he is right about the following–I’m someone who knows that we are offered more than one significant lifetime soul mate. So I pay attention.
Three things that have made me who I am today.
1) I have learned that the mistakes I made were made in innocence and that I have learned from them, therefore making me more tolerant of other folks mistakes.
2) I have learned that all the painful “stuff” I’ve gone through has made me realize just how strong I am and that I can do anything I want/need to do.
3 I have learned, through my abiding faith, that I am a child of God and that He is always with me giving me the compassion to be a more loving person.
Thanks, dear friend, for this thought provoking entry. I am still learning who I am without Art and this gave me a chance to really think about it.
Carol, i’m with you – the money gigs haven’t been the biggest teachers. what holy teachers you’ve had… what a holy teacher you are.
Becky, mistakes, pain and faith – gotta LOVE ’em all.
THANKS to all who’ve posted here and sent private responses off.blog. it’s an honor to get to know Who You Are.
Boy, this IS thought provoking…..I guess I would say:
1. Being the baby in an extremely dysfunctional family held together by the fierce love of my mother, a creatively gifted woman with almost as many flaws as talents—wacky, yet wonderful.
2. Receiving the blessing of my mother to fly far away from that family to find my own way and explore my own talents, knowing that her love was always with me.
3. Finding my husband, a soulmate who has brought me full circle to where I am a woman who perhaps loves her children too fiercely, but with the intention that they be spared the pain of a dysfunctional family. I am ever more aware of the power of love and peace and seek to make it the driving force of my life.
wOw ML – you ARE woman. thanks for sharing your profound & powerFULL story. i am honored to call you Sister.
1) The lesson of hardwork and only you can shape your reputation, so work hard.
2) Having been married to someone who’s “got it” and FINALLY understanding what that is, God’s Grace….cannot earn it, don’t deserve it, but He still gives it to me anyway, WOW now that’s a make a person changing moment
3) Humility….often hurts to get it, but oddly cannot live without it…when you have humility, you just have an understanding of life, just alittle bit goes along way….ps…thanks Lisa for your words over the years…