Who Are Ya?

In the movie, "Paint Your Wagon",

gold-miner's establish a town, which they call, "No Name City".

Through a series of events, No Name City becomes a boom town.

Eventually a Parson shows up, and seeing what the town has become, says, "O God, Lord of Hosts, close thine eyes, and hold thy nose."

He begins to preach on the street and he begins by asking,

"Who are ya?"

 

This is a question we've all faced at one point or another.

Other people have asked it outright, or have deduced their own answer based on our actions.

Most ask this of themselves from time to time.

Who am I?

 

We all have many answers ~ some seem obvious

I, myself, am a woman.

A wife.

A mother.

A daughter.

A sister.

A friend.

A busy~body (more about this in a different post).

An advocate.

A teacher.

 

The list for most of us, could go on.

But are those title's ~ those labels, who you are?

Do you see yourself as more?

The experiences throughout life add to who you are.

 

What role does heritage play?

Are we influenced by those who have gone before?

 

I love the show,

Who Do You Think You Are?

I love it, not because "stars" trace their family lines.

I love it because it shows how important families are in our lives.

I love watching as the story unfolds.

I love as the connections are made and the "star" makes a parallel ~ how the life of an ancestor influences who they are today.  Who they are as a person.

How a single trait, like tenacity, or devotion to family, or patriotism, or a host of others is something their family still has today.

 

It is the same for all of us. 

We are influenced by those who have gone before, and who love us still.

Those who have gone before us, and are now on the "other side" are part of who we are.

 

I love the quote ~

"For those who are dead, being dead is not the problem.

Being forgotten is the problem."

 

From the stories of those who have gone before, we gain strength, perspective and hope.

 

Perhaps, it's time to remember, to re-define who we are.

It's time to add some depth, and discover new answers to the question,

 

Who Are Ya?