Identity

It’s a strange thing–how we see ourselves, how we want others to see us, how others actually see us.

Is there, then, an “us” that just is, free of how we’re perceived or how we want to be perceived?

Does it matter?

These are questions I’ve been mulling over for many years, and recently something fairly unremarkable but emotionally-charged happened, which led to me thinking about it again.

Someone abruptly resigned from an organization I consult for.

The notice of resignation was full of accusations, insults and attacks.

But beneath the surface, I could see someone who was in pain because their perception of themselves and the perception of them by their leader was worlds apart.

It made me wonder: how is this person’s perception of themselves so different than how she is seen by others?

And is there a right perspective?

Or is our so-called reality of existence simply a bunch of different little boxes of perception colliding with each other and sometimes falling in harmony with each other?

And if those collisions of perception are what causes conflict, is harmonious perception what we should strive towards?

Or is it all just…there.

Is differing perspectives of our selves, of others, of the world simply something that is, just like the temperature outside just is?