The Real You

Quickly, answer this question: "I am a _______."

So, what was your response? If I were to guess, I'd say that most rapidly answered this with your professional position: Doctor, Lawyer, Brick Layer, Artist, Housewife, etc. All of these are great things to be, but so often we become something we're not, racing down the tracks of life like an out-of-control locomotive.

Worldly affairs almost immediately take control over us as soon as we develop the ability to speak, comprehend, and walk around. The people in our lives, mostly parents and siblings, begin shaping and molding our personalities according to their actions and influences. Our needs, desires, physical and communicative abilities stir to life in no time, popping online like a super-fast computer. Oftentimes, we wake up as full-grown adults shaking our heads wondering what happened, how we developed into this certain personality we see in the mirror, living as someone we truly are, or acting out as someone we think we're supposed to be. For some, life often exists from birth to death as the opposite of what God had intended.

I've stated previously, God wrote a script of your life the moment you were conceived. He created the movie that is YOU. There are no reruns and only one copy available, which HE owns. I think he constantly gives us subtle hints all the time, a little voice churning inside telling us when we journey off course from the road he intended. Like it or not, we all know this voice. We feel it. We hear it like a second person beating drums inside us. Whether or not we choose to listen carries an enormous impact on our future, and the people we bring into our arena.

Careers, relationships, and spirituality are three areas worth mentioning in relation to who we are:

Careers: Lucky are the few who know from an early age how they would spend their workdays. Some do, and I've known a few who possessed this valuable knowledge. Right from the start, around grade school, a person feels the calling to follow a certain path. They either love or hate science, art, dance, theater, working with people or sitting in a corner doing his/her own thing. I've heard that most Doctors just knew medicine was for them as soon as they took their first chemistry, or biology course. Actors are the same way. I say this because of the testimonies of so many--drama and theater, for them, there was nothing better than going to the movies. Recently, the American actor, Rob Lowe was on a popular television program being interviewed. When asked about why he chose acting at an early age, he simply stated that it was just a calling he couldn't ignore, that every fiber of his being told him this was what he was meant to do. When his friends were playing sports, he was heading for the drama department to take part in a play. Many people feel these callings early on, but choose instead to live another life, the whole while looking over their shoulders knowing the grass is greener on the other side. But no worries for them, God always gives us other chances to fulfill our future. The signals are everywhere, trying to pull us in, attracting us toward our intended purposes.

I've spent a lot of time as a commercial pilot, though I never touched an airplane until my late twenties. Before then, I always had something else grabbing my attention keeping me from another destiny. My dad was a private pilot during his youth and occasionally took me to the airport when I was young to watch the planes takeoff and land. Maybe, he sensed I would do the same someday, I don't know. But, when I summoned up the courage one summer afternoon to take my first lesson, I knew this was for me. The energy was finally being released which had bottled up for so long. I owned a small business at the time and quickly switched gears, making me much happier and joyful than ever before. Writing was another thing which had lay dormant for so long until recently. I never really thought of it much, in fact, cracking a book was rarely given a passing thought. But one day, I dreamed of a story I just had to tell. Sons In The Clouds is the result and now I'm creating other tales to be shared. My point, maybe I should've been listening to my inner voice instead of pursuing other things which provided little pleasure. For so many, untold years move along without taking that certain plunge, exposing their God-given talents, making them rise to heights never imagined. Sometimes, the mere whisper of a wished-for career leaves them breathless. They know it fits them when they hear it, revealing their purpose, and driving them to new possibilities.

Relationships: Oh boy, here we go. I wrote a previous article on discovering chemistry between two people. How you just know when you know that he/she is the one. Well, were they really, or were there other factors and ideas making you walk down that aisle while a nagging feeling was nudging you to run? I'm in my late forties and know many, and I mean many my age who are going through the unfortunate pain of divorce. A lot have talked about it to me, most stated the day they married there were lingering doubts. How the pressures of having children, competition among peers and family members, fears of being alone and unloved, and wanting sex on a regular basis made them say, "I do." But now, they're walking a different direction. Most expressed, if only they had waited a little longer, had a few more dates, said "no" when they heard that little voice, and grabbed that tingling feeling inside when the right man/woman stepped up to the plate their lives could've been filled with never-ending bliss. On the other side of the coin, some are blessed to find their right soul mates very early on, responsible for creating those sixty-year-marriages so rarely seen today. The difference? They listened to that inner voice from God telling them they were walking along the dotted line.

Another point is our relationships with colleagues, friends, and family. Who we are has so much to do with who we identify with, and feel good around. There are certain people that make me happy just to see them, or chat with on the phone. Others, for whatever reason, send me bolting the other way. Our inner souls just know when they know its time to move from their presence. I've had a few relationships that kept going way past the chalky-white finish line. I didn't want to listen when God was making the inner voices rise to battle, but it goes back to choosing the right roadway our lives were intended to drive. Sometimes, we ignore what we're meant to do, but self-correction is a huge part of what makes us all human. If you enter a personal or business relationship and soon have feelings of dis-respect, anxiety, or apprehension instead of love, and feel-good chemistry, God is telling you something. Listen. He created those moments. He wrote that script. Your life wasn't created to spend it with the wrong people, causing you pain and misery while wishing for others to arrive on the scene. This goes back to exactly who you are, therefore, bringing in the right people to enjoy your ride. It's that chemistry thing, making you feel great inside.

Spirituality: Everyone, no matter if you're Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or any other faith knows what fits your religious needs. Sure, a child born in the Middle East compared to one in say, Oklahoma is definitely going to be surrounded by people of certain convictions. But, once again, through life experiences and that little voice, people usually find their way to their true beliefs. What may work in the early stages, may languish behind when you're fully developed through education, travels, and meeting the right people God has placed in your life. For me, Christianity is the way to heaven. But, not to say there aren't other stairways to the streets of gold. God has his ways of reeling you in. It's just a matter of which card he decides to play for your particular hand. I knew very early that Jesus was for me, and I haven't felt any inner voice telling me otherwise. But, once again, that's my life. Yours is different, it all depends on what God has intended for you. Which stairway he wants you to climb.

Observing your personal habits says much about who you are. We've all heard of the Type A, B, and AB personality tests. I'm most likely Type AB, which means I'm generally laid back while also having some competitive and ambitious traits. It's just who I am. Most people I know don't really fall into just one category, but a lot do have certain personalities. If you take a look at how you handle day-to-day activities and honestly step back for a moment, it quickly becomes clear which one of these categories you fall into. One is not better that the other by any means, but it definitely helps in understanding how we behave, and do the things we do.

Randy Mitchell is a writer of inspirational fiction and author of the novel, Sons In The Clouds. Visit his website @ http://www.theinspirationalwriter.com