They say that I have a past life - that I used to be a prince who lived a long time ago. Some even say that the stars
determine my destiny, my thoughts and feelings and the kind of partner I will, naturally be attracted to. In others, what will be will be. All these things
determine my future before I came into existence.
How many people have been humiliated for their wrong doings?
How many, as a consequence, believed that because of a few misdoings in the past, they will have been, for the rest of their lives, be indelibly labelled like the numbers ingrained on the body of
every Jew during Hitler’s final solution?
But why would they think of themselves that way? By what manner
or hidden philosophical view of theirs about their selves (and the world) made
them think and behave as though the past has pre-determined their present and
the future?
There is a difference between what you are and who you are.
When is confused for the other, we get, as a result, a belief so ingrained in
us that we believe that the past predetermines the future.
What are we? We’re made out of the same biological soup as
every organic thing, living or non living. As belong to the human race, we have
same DNA (just a very miniscule strain that separates us from primates).
Scientists say that by studying our genes, they can tell a lot about our
physical appearance, our predisposition, our level of aggressiveness, our
chances of getting cancer, our height. The list goes on. But, that is what we
are, the whatness.
But, who are we? The who is what distinguishes our lives
from those of the others. The who-ness is that which is made up of specific
actions, our initial reactions to external stimuli. And, if we apply rational
judgment, we can opt not to react but rather to respond to external stimuli.
There’s seems to be no doubt that our what-ness makes us
initially view and react to certain situations. But, we can change that. We can
respond. With proper self reflection, our determination not to have past
actions and behavior determine our present and future actions, we can change the course of our personal history. And, it
is because our responsive-ness, or, more accurately, our ability to respond
rationally and responsibly (response-ability = responsibility), that our future
is not and cannot yet be written. Up in the stars; or, down there in our genes.
In other words, it’s up to us if we want to effect change.
We may not be able to change what we are; but we can certainly determine who we
can be. And, by be-ing, I am not talking about being a doctor, an engineer, an
accountant, or a bum. It does not matter what career or job we take on. What’s
more important is to strive to live as authentically as we can be.
