The Big Question

There comes a time in a person’s life when they have to ask themselves, “who am I?” and, “what do I want in life?” For some people, this could be one of the trickiest questions to answer (hence the reason people must answer this during particular job interviews). As for me, I have a counter question: “what makes you who you are enough to even answer such a question?” Are you - as your own being - suppose to know instinctively and have a fluid answer, or is it easier to answer from a third person point of view? I often wonder if I am just indecisive and can’t figure out who I am.



When you first meet a person, you can tell their personality through their first impression (theoretically speaking). It could be based on how they talk, what they talk about, what they eat or drink, if they eat or drink at all, the list goes on. So is it possible that based on those details can a person decipher who they are?I’m sure it is possible, but I don’t think it would be a sufficient answer.

In my opinion, a person becomes who they are according to what they experience in life. It could be those little or big things that occur that can sculpt who you become. In the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower (written by Stephen Chbosky) it says, “...But even if we don’t have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there.” That sentence changed my life and made me realize how much potential everyone has to do what they want, and don’t even know it. Whether it’s a good experience or a bad one, there is a lesson to be learned that had or will have some part in who you become.

Then there’s the proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child”. I believe this to be an entirely accurate statement. In everyone’s lifetime, they will meet at least one person that could possibly teach you something. Be it who you don’t want to be, or who you want to become. In the cartoon Everyone’s Hero, Yankee embarks on a journey from New York City to Chicago and makes friends and foes that teach him an indirect lesson. Experiences with particular people, such as Yankee’s, can help you define who you are.

I’m sure that - at least subconsciously - everyone knows who they are. It might not be the easiest thing to put into words, but even the way a person would attempt to answer the big question is enough of an explanation. Figuring out who you are is about everything in your life. Your favorite things, your fears, your addictions, your interests, etc. In fact, describing who you are shouldn't be something you become pensive over. It’s about accepting yourself and who you are for the ups and downs. Knowing yourself is a key step to embracing life and discovering what you want from it.