Who am I? That's an easy question and the hardest question in the world.
Who am I? My name is Alicia and I am the daughter of Craig and Marie. I am a granddaughter, niece, aunt, sister, wife, mother, and friend.
Who am I? I am the Young Women's President, the cake-maker, the audiobook narrator.
Who am I? I am a heart mom and a mother to a late child. I am one who grieves daily and genuinely smiles daily.
Who am I? I am the responsible one who simply gets things done when they need to be done. The one you call when you need advice or just need to vent.
Who am I? I am a vain woman who just wants to be pretty but pretends not to be concerned with such frivolous things or what other people think.
Who am I? I am a daughter of God.
Who am I? All of these things and so much more. And I am different things to different people. When I bake someone a birthday cake their not thinking of how much I mean to my grandma, just as when someone listens to an audiobook I've narrated they have no idea that I might be wearing cake shoes at that moment. We see the full spectrum of who we are, and yet we also view others within the confines of our association with them.
I want to be all of these things and more, and I want to see others for who they really are. If I know that the teenager at the drive-thru window is working to save up for college or to support his little brothers and sisters I'll probably be more patient than if I just see him as a tool to get my taco. Everyone needs perspective and balance.
But perspective and balance can be hard to achieve. To gain perspective we need open eyes and hearts that are willing to look outside ourselves and see things not only as they really are, but as others see them through the lenses of their own experiences. To gain balance we need to choose our priorities, set boundaries, and - perhaps most importantly - follow through with them consistently.
Homeschooling my kids is really important right now and takes high priority and some other things will get less attention, but if I focus on that to the exclusion of being a good friend, developing my spirituality, or even baking, I don't believe I or my kids will be better off. Part of the education I want to give them is to see what being a well-rounded person is like; I want them to see me serving others and developing my talents because that's what I want for them. But if I put all my efforts into being a good example without ever sitting down to teach them how to read or find a square root, their education will still be lacking. Once again, it takes balance.
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