Becoming

    Reading this week's blog prompt, I was reminded of the book Becoming, a memoir by Michelle Obama. In Becoming, Obama talked about her roots and how she found her voice, as well as the multiple different roles she took on throughout her lifetime. I think identity is such an abstract idea because the way we see ourselves and the world around us changes constantly depending on the role we place onto ourselves into in the moment. Writing my college essays this year has given me a great insight into the fluid nature of identity. Can I proclaim myself a swimmer because I hold a great passion towards the sport? Or should I group myself as a student even though everyone else is too. Do I label myself as a sister because I am given the troubles of an immature brother? Or am I actually the ignorant daughter who cannot relate to the difficulties of her parents. The questions are endless and the answers nowhere to be seen. 

    Humans are incredibly social creatures, so naturally, the people we surround ourselves with will have an effect on our identity. The term "two-faced" is frequently thrown around because of its negative connotation. However, despite its contemptuous usage, I believe it's actually a euphemism. You see, people have thousands of faces, not just two. This idea is rooted in many mythologies and religions. Guanyin, a figure in Buddhism, is often depicted with a thousand arms and many faces. Each face represents a different role, experience, or emotional state. Proteus, an early sea god in Greek mythology, had the ability to change form at will, reflecting the idea of fluid identity—how people shift their personalities depending on the circumstances. This connects to the idea that no single "face" defines us. If you dig even deeper, the Latin persona originally referred to the masks worn in Roman theater. Carl Jung later adapted this concept in psychology. He believed that humans have different versions of themselves depending on their roles—student, child, friend, leader—none of which fully capture the whole self.

    So, if you ask me what I am becoming, I'd have to say: "Whatever comes next." The concept of identity flows continuously and never stops. Perhaps that's why it was a river through which Siddhartha reached his enlightenment.