Who Are You?
Author: Timothy Ivan Mead

It may seem like a simple enough question, but most of the people I ask have no answer to this question. Those who do have an answer speak of their work, family, accomplishments, or physical characteristics. Have you ever changed your circumstances in life only to find that in time you feel that same familiar restlessness?

The question remains. Who are you? If you are not your job, family, accomplishments, or physical characteristics, then what exactly determines who you are? Who I am is a unique combination of what I brought with me into this experience of life, and the lessons I learn while I am here.

For me, the purpose of life is to learn who I am. The events of life reveal the answer to this most basic question. When I encounter pain in life it teaches me that I have become something other than who I am. When I feel joy it is because I have become the embodiment of who I am in some way. I have learned that both pain and joy teach me who I am.

Before I discovered who I am, I relied on other people to tell me. They did not know who I am, and so their advice was varied and contradictory. I was uncommitted and unclear about my direction and purpose in life. I lived to make other people happy. Sadly I was not happy. Without knowledge of who I am, I felt unfulfilled. I often changed jobs or moved and was often unhappy. I had not found my niche.

My dad once told me, “Use the right tool for the job.” He was telling me that a wrench is not a hammer. When a wrench is being pounded against a nail it knows at some level that it was meant for other work. I have found that when I use my energy to be something other than who I am, I feel uneasy. I experience a feeling that something is missing in my life. Have you experienced this feeling? Have you tried to fill this feeling with a new job, lover, child, award, new car or some other thing? Have you noticed that the thrill of something new is short lived and the feeling of restlessness returns? Being who you are fills this void regardless of your circumstances.

You have inside of you the very tool you require to teach you who you are. When I was confused by the opinions of others it was because I was not willing to trust my perfect guide. Learning who I am is a journey of learning to trust that voice in me which “knows”. I have noticed that those of us in the later stages of life either become bitter and angry or they become loving and gracious. Those who grow to be loving and gracious have a strong knowledge of who they are and they trust that perfect voice of truth in them. Those who grow to become bitter and angry trust their fears and judgement. It is a great art to learn to recognize which voice is speaking!

So I ask once more “Who are you?” If you still draw a blank, don’t worry, you have a life time to answer. As I see myself for who I truly am, I see my relationships and possessions in a whole new light. As I see my unique purpose clearly, I also see and realize my perfect work, and relationships. Perhaps my experience will shed some light on how to discover your answer for yourself. As with any journey, there are many roads to bring you to your destination. Some roads are more direct than others. I trust that you will find out who you are eventually, but having a good map makes it easier to find the route that works best for you. Happy trails!

Timothy Ivan Mead
Author / Publisher
TCMPublishing.com







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Timothy Ivan Mead is a writer and publisher of self-help books, music and poetry. His new book "A Life That Works!" is available from Amazon.com or the TCMPublishing.com website.

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