I Am Me

Virginia Satir was an author and family therapist who wrote this poem on awakin.org when she was working with a teenage girl who had a lot of questions about herself and what life meant. Kindly read it and here is my reflection to the poem:

Who am I? What am I? Who is me? What is me? These are important questions about my true and authentic identity. It means taking ownership of me. Ownership of my mind-thoughts and ideas; ownership of my feelings and emotions; ownership of my actions; ownership of my triumphs and failures; ownership of my whole self. I do not hide myself from my own self and also from others. This is Me. When I accept myself as I am I am free to engineer me; to change me.

Taking ownership of me frees me from my socially, culturally, and religiously conditioned self. I loved and married the love of my life born and raised in a different caste, class and religion. Both of us followed our inner voice and faced all kinds of challenges together and grew by going through them. Authentic self creates and sustains authentic and flourishing relationships.

Life presents challenges and puzzles. How do I face them makes a big difference in my life. If I close my eyes to the challenges and puzzles or deny them, I stifle my own growth and development. I recognize my puzzles. I own my puzzles. I have learned to remain grounded and rooted like a tree and derive strength from my authentic self. Relating to challenges and puzzles cultivates strength and courage in me and I do not get uprooted by challenges and difficulties.

I conclude my reflections by quoting Virginia Satire's last line of her poem: "I am Me and I am Okay."
Namaste!