Who Am I?

“Am I still the person I have spent a lifetime becoming, and do I still want to be that person?” asks Mary Catherine Bateson in “Composing a Further Life.”

Bateson says that identity crises are not only for teens but are “revisited in every stage of life.” That’s why she recommends reflecting on one’s past as a prelude to planning the future.

So I did that. I divided life into childhood, teen years, my 20s when I was a camp director, 30s and early 40s when I pastored a church, and 43-on when I taught college English. In each category I listed things I most enjoyed.

• Adventure (it started in childhood)
• Dreaming/Innovating/Organizing (I like to design the adventure and take others along with me)
• Communicating/Teaching (especially if it inspires hope in others)
• Enjoying nature and the outdoors (where I like to do all the above)

So what does this tell me about my still-murky future?

Suggestions?

2 thoughts on “Who Am I?

  1. The four things you mentioned as enjoyable for you…perfectly describe a visit to your mates in Australia!
    Adventure (challenging the fear of flying), Dreaming (The home of “Dreamtime”), Organising (It will take a bit of organisational nouse to get the two of you here), Communicating (It would inspire hope in me to know you were coming) Enjoying nature and the outdoors (Almost all of Australia is, well…”outback”. What does this loving observation say to you about your “still-murky future”?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *