Kurt Vonnegut wrote a short story about a hardware store owner who always got the leading roll in his small town’s theater productions. Although he was a quiet man, on stage he totally became the characters he played. It was made into a movie entitled "Who Am I This Time?"
I saw a brief video today where a psychologist talked about what we might do if we’ve gone through a rough experience that has left our life in shambles. We could think of it as an opportunity to start over with a clean slate. Who do you want to become? What do you want your life to be?
I’ve never loved my given name, and I’ve never felt any attachment to my family name. There have been times I considered changing it. When I married, my wife, who also didn’t like her name, and I considered both of us changing our names. We never went through with it, though.
When I became a nomad I realized I’d be meeting new people and making new friends. These people wouldn’t know anything about me except what I told them. I could use any name. I could fabricate my entire history if I wanted to. I had a clean slate.
I didn’t do it. I’m not good at deception or keeping my stories straight. But I still became a different person. It’s inevitable when one lives this life. I think the new me is better. I feel better.
So spot on. While it can take great effort, removing oneself from a less than optimal situation can make room for better things to surface. Thanks for the nudge.
ReplyDeleteI have pondered if a person could have a 'mind swipe' for a tough period in their life including all the great skills they acquired in that time, would they do it?