Creating You

I’m writing a book about this topic. Its title is Becoming You. There are many topics to explore in the book. One is doing things that expand your understanding of the world around you. This means taking risks that are worthy. Risks that help you explore who you are in a world vastly diverse and uncontrollable by any one person.

Our nation was founded on the belief that all people are created equal and have inalienable rights that are not to be manhandled by anyone else. The diversity of our opinions and viewpoints are what give us breadth of knowledge, accuracy of observations, and the very soul of our creativity. We strengthen our society. Others strengthen our society. Just by being, you and I and them. Together we form the We the People our nation stands for.

We do not act alone. We do not stand alone. We are not alone. That is what makes us a We, and not a Them. In fact, we and them make wholeness from our diversity.

These concepts are difficult to grasp at times. Seemingly, there is always a threat from this diversity, but the threat is actually the risk of failing. The risk of failing, and actually failing, teach us so much more than success. The act of trying places us at risk of losing. But the losing gives us understanding of the why we failed in the first place. In that is the key to building future success.

The pattern of risking and failing, repeating and succeeding, teaches us who we are as a person. What am I made of? What can I achieve? Am I willing to pay the price of trying, of risking? That’s where the you and I gain a sense of self.

Looking back on my life I clearly see instances where I blocked my own advancement in life. Advancement that would have enriched my knowledge of self, possibility, change and growth. All of those things are necessary to grow, to become something else, something better than who and what we are at any given moment. Did I do justice to my relationships? Was I too careful and quiet so I would not upset anyone? Did I fade into the background? Or did I give voice to ideas, possible answers to shared problems? Did I help other people find what worked for them? Did I have answers to challenges that would help others grow out of the same challenges? Did we work together to achieve the same end?

Certainly, others can take advantage of me if I am wrong. They can embarrass me but then, I must have given them the right to embarrass me. If we work together, develop fresh ideas that might work in meeting challenges, we all gain. Abasing others destroys trust and the power of creativity. Risking failure to find answers is the stuff of collaboration and needs to be sought. In turn we help one another become more. More you. More me. A better you and me. All from risking failure.

December 13, 2024

 

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