Who Are You? (A Question We Should All Ask Ourselves)

"Who are you?" This is a question that we have to answer time and time again through out our lives. During every new phase of our lives, we are asked to introduce ourselves, and each time we answer simply with our name...

I was watching a movie the other day, "Anger Management" with Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson. A movie you would not expect to have a profound "Ah-Ha" moment. But it was while watching a scene where Jack Nicholson (as Dr. Rydell) is pestering Adam Sandler (as Dave Buznik) to introduce himself to his therapy group. Each time, Buznik answers with the typical answer, "I am Dave Buznik", "I am a pet clothing line designer", etc. And each time, Rydell retorts, "That is your name, I asked who are you", "That is what you do for a living, I asked who are you". 

It got me thinking...how would I answer that question. Obviously, my name is Jamie Price, but what does that "label" mean. Who am I behind that name...

So this is what I came up with at first....

1. I am a wife
2. I am a mother of 2
3. I am a pharmacy technician
4. I am a home owner
5. I am an animal lover
6. I am an avid reader
7. I am a dancer
8. I am a lousy singer (but still love to do it)
9. I am an artist
10. I am an opinionated and independent person

But after making this list, I realized these are things about me...but not who I am. They are attributes...like saying the plant is green and leafy. Or the flower is orange instead of red.

So I sat...and I thought about it. Lord knows I have better things to be doing than wracking my brain over things I see in a movie...but I did. And this is what I came up with...

I am the daughter of two people that took two different paths in life. I myself, choose to take the path of my Mother and the parent that stayed constant in my life. I view the world from a different angle than most people, partly because of past experiences and the other, because my mother taught me to be objective and to not judge those I do not understand.

 I love life, although I tend to complain more than I should...a product of my habit of being sometimes over vocal about my feelings/opinions. I see beauty and wonder in the small moments in life and have been told that I view the world with "child-like" curiosity, something proven with the ridiculous questions I come up with (Why do they call it a flea market? Yes, do know the answer to that one).

I have a terrible habit of starting things and not finishing them, getting ahead of myself or just loosing track of where I left off, after even the smallest distractions. I call it loosing my momentum. 

I am fiercely protective of my family. My children, my husband, my siblings, parents, grandparents and even my best good friends that I consider my family as well. Because of this, I am quick to loose my temper and over react when one of them is upset about something or someone. 

I believe that respect is earned, and I strive to be a respected member of my community. Because of this, I care deeply about how other's view me. But do not confuse this with a false personality. I do not believe in being someone other than who I am. My ultimate goal, is to be the kind of person that when I am thought of by others, more often than not, it is in high regard. I go out of my way to help and take care of others, and to teach these attributes to my children.

I am a dreamer. I sometimes find myself walking in a state of day dreaming, half awake and half lost in another world. Because of this, I have often thought about writing a book, because that is normally where my thoughts tend to take me.

I am not a complicated person (though my husband may disagree). My thoughts and feelings are straight forward and fairly consistent. I believe in the truth, in fairness, in respect, in compassion, in strength of character and in true love. I don't believe in power, but in a balance of shared responsibility.

After reflecting on all of this, I know that the next time someone asks me "Who Are You?" I can confidently answer them "Jamie Price" and I will know exactly what that "title" means...

I am a wife, mother, friend, and daughter. I am honest and stubborn and full of the belief in the good of myself and others. I am a person of imagination and curiosity. I choose to love those around me with respect and loyalty, and I expect those that surround me to do the same. 

So my question to you now is.....

Who Are You?

Let me know who you are....sometimes a quick review of yourself and your values can keep you on track to the life you want and deserve!

Happy Reflection!