Now that I have introduced myself, I’d like to ask, “Who are you?”

In the introduction of  “I Could Not Save the Little Bird”, I share how my life had gotten out of control.  I felt like a circus performer I had seen who could keep seven plates spinning at once on top of seven thin rods.  Do you ever feel like you are trying to keep multiple plates spinning?  Are you giving your job a spin, then running to give your marriage a spin, and then perhaps giving a child a spin?  Then suddenly do you notice that another plate is wobbling?  As you are trying to save that plate, does the job plate or marriage plate begin to wobble?  That was my life, and it seemed hopeless.

It was during the plate spinning days, that I dragged myself to see a counselor.  The latest in a long line of crises was that my youngest child had turned to drugs.  My marriage and all the rest of my plates were wobbling, but my son plate was on its way to the floor!

After several minutes of sharing with the counselor about my feelings of desperation over the concern I had for my child, he said something that confused me.  He said, “Let’s talk about you.”  I wanted answers on how to save my son.  I wanted the chaos to end.  I wanted peace.  I needed hope.  Still, this professional seemed to think it was important for me to think about me.  I left his office that day with this thought, “Who am I?”  Today, I am asking you, “Who are you?”

My Uncle Joe had lots of favorite quotes.  One of his favorites was, “I’m not who I think I am.  I’m not who you think I am.  I’m who I think you think I am.”  Is this true?  How much time do we spend wondering what others think about us?  How much of how we see ourselves is based on how we perceive others have thought of us throughout our lives?

You may have only one question on your mind, “How can I save my loved one?”  I understand, however, I challenge you to consider this:  Perhaps if you knew the truth about who you are, you would be more prepared to receive the answer to your question.  Again, “Who are you?”–Not whom others think you are; not whom you think they think you are, but “Who are you really?”

Remember trying to find the “X” in algebra?  I have forgotten so much of what I learned in algebra, but I do remember to find the “X”, you started with the truth you did know.  So, what is the truth about you?  Where do you find the truth?

The Declaration of Independence says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  I believe our forefathers were on to something.  Have you been pursuing happiness or have you been spinning plates?  Consider this:  the Creator who gave you the right to pursue your happiness created you.  With this Truth as your base of knowledge, you can begin the path to this life, this freedom and this happiness to which you have the right to achieve.

I hope you will come back again and meet with me here.  If you have not yet read, “I Could Not Save the Little Bird”, I encourage you to do so.  Until our next encounter, why don’t you meditate on the following:

The search for truth begins with God, our Creator.

God made you with a good purpose in mind.

There is still hope to have the life that the Creator meant for you.

(Recommended reading:  Genesis, Chapter 1 in the Bible, the Word of the Creator.)