Make Yourself

We have all been domesticated! We were born a blank slate, unable to speak, form thoughts, walk, crawl, or make decisions. Our parents and society begin to fill our minds with their religious beliefs, what is acceptable behavior, right vs. wrong and lame practical dreams. As we begin to grow our families, friends and society begin to label us: you are so pretty, you are so smart and we believe them. None of us really know who we truly are, we accept these labels, lifestyles and beliefs that have been imposed on us and live them out. What I am getting at is that everything that we think we are, all of the classifications and labels we have given ourselves are from other people / society, we are trying to live up to other peoples images of us... so I ask you "who are you really?"

I was raised in a catholic family, attended catholic school my entire life, was expected to attend college and do something normal, practical and mundane with my life (as we all are). My grandmother used to tell me I would be Miss America or another Brooke Shields, or maybe I could be a doctor because my handwriting was so messy. So here I am now a college drop out and an agnostic ( I believe in the power of the universe and energy)and most definitely the black sheep of the family! Admittedly I was a little bothered at first that I was looked upon by my family as weird, unsuccessful, perhaps even as a failure, or even better that I was lost but would come back around to my faith!

These days I don't care so much about what they think because I have realized that I am not a conventional person and that I have my own dreams and my own type of lifestyle that I am going to live. My vision of success is nowhere close to what my parents would consider as being successful! I don't want to have these lavish possessions, boats, a jacuzzi and a large home because I have worked at a job that I hate and put in 80 hour weeks - those things are not important to me and are nothing more than distractions and attachments. My husband and I choose to live a meager life, spend our time with our family and friends instead of working all of the time, we choose to live a life that agrees with our way of existing. We want to spend time together enjoying ourselves and one another, to enjoy the pretty days outdoors with our friends and pets, listening to good music and reading good books, and that is exactly what we do. We do work, we just choose to not live at our jobs and we try to do work that allows us to feel fulfilled and to help others.

Our job titles and possessions are not what define us,we are first and foremost humans and we are each different and should not be ridiculed for being so. We raise our children to be polite and not make fun / ridicule others, but isn't that essentially what is happening here? I choose to not be a christian and to not be part of the machine (selling my soul to the corporate pigs) and I am told that I will come back around as if my lifestyle is wrong and theirs is right... you are judging me. I am not saying that my lifestyle or lack of belief is the right way to live, it is just right for me - I don't begrudge anyone their faith or their lifestyle, I am just asking that you not impose on me and treat me differently because of it.

In the end does it really matter what my job is, what my faith is or what designer I am wearing? Is it really that important to you? How often do these things come up in your daily conversation? How is it that my way of existing effects yours? Are you truly happy? Think about it.... are you living the life that you want to live or are you trying to live up to others expectations and dreams? If you care or love me, then know that I am living a fulfilled and happy life as I am. I have what is truly important to me, my health, peace of mind, a wonderful spouse and daughter, a desire to help and reach out to others.... I am a good person who wants to make a difference to those I meet. Life is short, how do you choose to spend your time? Think about it, get in touch with the true you (meditation or whatever your method), allow yourself to develop into the person that you really are and to live the life in which you want for yourself!

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."~ E. E. Cummings