Nature vs. Nurture.
I used to be a strong advocate for the Nurture side of that debate, especially when raising my
3 children. I believed that during a time when girls were being liberated from stereotypes I
was raising 2 little feminists and an emotionally intelligent feminist-leaning son. After all, I
took up the “girls-can-do-anything” flag in reaction to my own upbringing. I believed it was
Nurture that pushed me onto the path of marriage, children and reliance on a man. I had
learned to navigate the world by internalizing what I had lived.
Cultural norms and messages about who I was supposed to be didn’t sit well with me. They
didn’t fit, they felt dissonant. If the Nurture theory was the driving force forming me then I
should have been more of a Stepford wife and I was anything but that.
Now I believe that I am who I am because of my DNA, my soul, and my place in the cosmic
order of things. I am who I am because I was born when the constellations were aligned just
so, because I am traveling a pre-destined Karmic journey, because the world holds a space
specifically for me to fill.
I am a seeker of truth and purpose. My innate positivity and persistence has gotten me
through the hard times, has helped me individuate from my family of origin and to pursue my
authenticity. I am an emotional risk taker and have been willing to dive deep into the dark
places. My determination to live in alignment with what I believe has carried me to this
chapter of my life. My wry and irreverent sense of humor, my optimism, and forthrightness,
my compassion and generosity of spirit are where I live.
I am who I am because there is a higher purpose at work and I have a higher purpose. I am
who I am because that’s the game plan. I don’t need to know any more than that.
I hope I pass the course.
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