Pieces Of Us
We are born of our own thoughts, ideas, opinions and creativity. We are also no doubt products of our environments, cultures and people, if we let them. As young people we tend to let that be, as during that period it's unnatural to break away from this psychology. Neuroscientist and psychologist, Merlin Donald has written about our culture's influence on our brain structure in his book, A Mind So Rare. In it he says, "...symbolizing cultures own a direct path into our brains and affect the way major parts of the executive brain become wired up during development." Culture though, is just one piece shaping the complex, interesting and multidimensional beings we are.
Pieces of us are pulled through from pieces of others. For example, I like to purchase illy coffee in particular, because a friend from many moons ago turned me on to it, now it's a favorite. Another example is my love of disconnecting from electronics. This comes from time spent with a cousin in California, who was television free (I'm pretty sure she still is). I did go t.v. free for a few years, I highly recommend it; although I'm not sure I could live without True Detective at the moment. Getting regular exercise I know I picked up from my mama. She's been working out since I was a kid. I remember hanging out in the whirlpool, at the spa she belonged to in the early 80's. Regular exercise is a piece of me now.
It's fun to think of these habits, likes and memories when they make light. The illy coffee friend will always be around and hopefully one day I can make her a cappuccino with it. As we go through our days there are probably a lot of pieces we see, feel and interact with, which go unnoticed as to where they came from. Your favorite ring is by all means yours, yet maybe someone gave it to you. Your favorite shampoo you could have discovered from a roommate. Your independence could be from a best friend you admired, who lived alone in a great apartment. Your current strength could be fueled from your friends and family, who are relentless in their own convictions.
There are other pieces that are solely our own and ones we've cooked up from who knows where. These could be our work ethic, the music we like or how we take our eggs. I've picked up little nuances from my munchkin and of course he must pick some up from me as well. I don't notice those too much, but he probably will. He does like to lay on his back and watch his favorite show, which is something I do to stretch out. I like to think he'll take only my good habits, although I know that's not true. If I'm not careful I could end up with a cursing, drinking first grader who likes to watch too much t.v. A least as of late, he is shaping me into a nature-loving, water-drinking hiker who likes to read a lot.
Pieces of us are pulled through from pieces of others. For example, I like to purchase illy coffee in particular, because a friend from many moons ago turned me on to it, now it's a favorite. Another example is my love of disconnecting from electronics. This comes from time spent with a cousin in California, who was television free (I'm pretty sure she still is). I did go t.v. free for a few years, I highly recommend it; although I'm not sure I could live without True Detective at the moment. Getting regular exercise I know I picked up from my mama. She's been working out since I was a kid. I remember hanging out in the whirlpool, at the spa she belonged to in the early 80's. Regular exercise is a piece of me now.
It's fun to think of these habits, likes and memories when they make light. The illy coffee friend will always be around and hopefully one day I can make her a cappuccino with it. As we go through our days there are probably a lot of pieces we see, feel and interact with, which go unnoticed as to where they came from. Your favorite ring is by all means yours, yet maybe someone gave it to you. Your favorite shampoo you could have discovered from a roommate. Your independence could be from a best friend you admired, who lived alone in a great apartment. Your current strength could be fueled from your friends and family, who are relentless in their own convictions.
There are other pieces that are solely our own and ones we've cooked up from who knows where. These could be our work ethic, the music we like or how we take our eggs. I've picked up little nuances from my munchkin and of course he must pick some up from me as well. I don't notice those too much, but he probably will. He does like to lay on his back and watch his favorite show, which is something I do to stretch out. I like to think he'll take only my good habits, although I know that's not true. If I'm not careful I could end up with a cursing, drinking first grader who likes to watch too much t.v. A least as of late, he is shaping me into a nature-loving, water-drinking hiker who likes to read a lot.
Thanks kiddo!
