Becoming Who I Am

I agree with Parker Palmer's belief that becoming who you are is more about reinforcing the way God made you, not becoming a "better you." I have also struggled with the notion of vocation: I believe that it puts pressure on us, especially as we learn about vocations in grade school, to expect to hear a call from an external force. In most people, this never happens, and growing up can be disconcerting when we do not have a lot of tangible guidance in our lives. However, this process of trial and error that young people go through as they are "discovering themselves" is natural and reasonable, and also defines us in its own way. Although I believe that we are shaped by the society we live in a by the people we meet (which many times can be a positive thing), we also should not let ourselves be changed in a way that can create a different person. By "changing," we are actually denying our true selves and the existence that God created. As Palmer says, it is sometimes harder to accept the person that we truly are than to pretend to be someone else. Everyone at some points in their life points on a mask, but it is when this mask replaces someone's natural person that problems arise. Pretending to be someone else results in losing God's gifts to each person. Therefore, it is important to always think about who we are throughout our entire lifetime. Even if we do not pay attention to who we are acting as for a short time period, it could still dramatically change us and make us forget who we are. Thus, I believe that everyone of every age needs to take time of self-reflection so that they may never forget who they are. Staying true to oneself throughout an entire lifetime is truly a success.