IDENTIFY

There have been times in my life when I have incorrectly mistaken the identity of a person or some one has come to me and thinking I am some one they know.  Dad and I were amazed when the old friend of Carol's identified us and we had no idea who she was.  We have changed a lot and yet there must be things about us that have not changed.

I think the amazing thing is that we feel that inside we are the same as we always were.  It helps if I avoid the mirror and avoid comparisons with others.

"There was an innkeeper whose inn was called the Silver Star and try as he might he could not attract people to come into his place.  A wise man suggested he change his name to the Five Bells  and have a set of six bells hanging at the entrance.  Sure enough people passing by where only to happy to identify and point out the mistake.

There are few things the ego delights in more than correcting the mistakes of others." -from Experiencing Spirituality.

"Wee Hughie was dying.

Tenderly his wife knelt by his bedside and asked if she could grant any last wish.
Faintly came the answer, "A wee bit of that ham over yonder would be nice."
"Ach man. . .you can't have that." said Maggie "You know it is for your funeral." 

There is humor in many sad situations that help us to cope.

Story-

Finding oneself means, among other things, finding the story or narrative in terms of one's life that makes sense.  _Robert Bellah

The story that heals identity because it links with memory-is not true or untrue but it does require a self-disclosure of actual past events.  We all remember things differently.

Story telling is not just nostalgia.

Story is not a science which takes facts and creates a reality.  Some stories are more like myths and yet there is great truth hidden in the telling.

Story telling is not just a form of therapy but at the same time can be healing when used to try to explain why I am who I am and how I got here. 

Story telling has a way of emerging out of no-where as some past experience comes to mind.  One thing about dad is that he often says "that reminds me of a story".  A image comes to mind and awakens the past that identifies where we have been and where we hope to travel.

Born again may be a simple as entering into the stories of Jesus and letting them influence your words and deeds and dreams!

Our name and our reputation are a part of who we are.