My True Self

Today I had a patient compliment me on my top. I thanked her and told her tend to wear a lot of prints from nature. Then she asked me something I never thought about…”Have you always liked them or is it something you began to appreciate later in life?”

I thought back to my favorite outfits through the years and as far back as I could remember elements of nature have dominated my favorite wardrobe items. The only exceptions being tie-dye and the occasional paisley. I’m a California girl and I LOVE my tie-dye and flip flops…always have.

So this started me thinking…as we get older do we change and become our authentic self or do we just care less about what others think and let our true selves show? Perhaps a bit of both. Granted, I am no longer running around in my under-roos acting like I am Wonder Woman but many of the things I loved as a kid are still relevant today.

I think about the person I am today and the things I love and wonder if all the time I was growing up and especially as a kid or a teenager when I was trying new things was a waste of time. None of it “stuck”. I still love the ocean and the beach is absolutely my happy place. It always has been. I’m so drawn to it that I swear I must be part mermaid. My favorite foods have not really changed. I still like to try new things, but no matter what I still have my likes and dislikes. I prefer the flavor of the foods over the flavors of strong seasonings. I still can’t stand beans of any kind, hot canned tuna (like a tuna melt or tuna casserole) or cilantro and I LOVE fresh fruit in particular…probably part of the reason that our yard is full of fruit trees.

Was I born this way or did I become this way through my life experiences? I’m a very different person than my parents or my siblings…Who all think I may be a little nuts with all my adventures. But I can’t imagine my life any other way. It is just the way I have always been. I can’t imagine me living my live like any of them. I love them dearly, and there isn’t anything wrong with how they choose to live their lives…It just isn’t for me.

And that is OK.