Week 2 A1

Do you think all of us are reduced by adjectives and nouns? I wonder if it is possible to describe a person accurately. We are, after all, constantly changing. I am curious too if you think people change entirely, or if pieces of them remain the same despite other changes. I look at versions of my past self and can still see glimpses of my present person.

I relate to your description of making oneself ‘palatable,’ it seems like without this dilution of character we aren’t able to function in society. We shame those that stand out instead of celebrating them. How much of this is human nature and how much of this is self imposed? I think we all share an awareness that somewhere inside there is more to ourselves than these words and boxes imposed upon us. Sometimes we wear those words because they are comfortable, staying inside of a box protects you from the external nothingness outside of said box. It seems to take courage to disregard identities and simply exist like you describe. These identities, ideas about who we are that can never fully encapsulate our being, this is what I understand to be our ego. We hold on tight to our ego because of a shared fear of existing without it. If we are not ourselves, what are we? It is more comfortable to be what you are told you are than to discover your true self. I am inspired by your efforts to shed the ego and explore the indefinable whole of yourself.

I crave ownership and control. I crave impact on the world around me. I crave predictability within the chaos of life. Your description of cells in an ocean rings true to me. These cravings and desires, attached to my ego, I need to work on letting them go. So, thank you.