Blog: What am I like?
I asked my children what I should write in my next blog post. One of them suggested I should write about myself and tell the readers what I am like.
I tackled this topic right away. I know I am smart, trendy, handsome, young, successful, sociable, talkative, tolerant, environmentally conscious, and extrovert.
Aren’t these wonderful characteristics? Would you be better? I don’t really think so, because I still did not mention all of my fantastic features, just in case someone might feel superior to me.
But truth to tell, I must confess here and now that I may not be such a fantastic guy after all. I sometimes say things that are not literally true. I might need to drop some of the epithets I listed above. To start with, I am probably not very smart or trendy.
And maybe I should also check the other items on the list. I took a look in the mirror right now and realized that I will need to re-phrase what I said about being young and handsome.
And about to my being successful… Can we really deduce anything about a person’s real success based on figures reflecting his high standard of living or his merits and prosperity? If we measure success by such indicators, I could cross out the word from my list.
I will also have to cross out intelligence. I have not yet attended intelligence tests. It is true, however, that cognitive performance is only one way to evaluate intelligence, and we should not forget the impact of practice. People learn what they want to learn.
How about being sociable and talkative, am I really either? I am not quite sure. These traits may just reflect my need to protect my inner self. I guess I will have to re-consider even those two things.
Is it possible that when I mention tolerance and environmental consciousness, I miss something essentially important. Those themes seem so complex that it might be better for me to leave them to mature a bit more, although they are fine concepts.
Being extrovert is a fun thing, but would it be just as important to look inside myself and see how I am really getting along? Maybe I will find the truth on the inside rather than among the outward characteristics.
Introversion does not mean only that we evaluate our own limitations or ponder on a problematic life situation. At its best it means that we open the door on to life: let the darkness out and the light in.
It seems that my list of personality traits did not really hit home. Is it even possible that a list of adjectives or different letter combinations could ever define or characterize the essence of a person or even give a truthful description of it?
While waiting to find an answer to this question, the least I can do is to accept and appreciate my unique personality. If I do that, I will be able to engage in genuine interaction and communication with other people.
I can also draw on all my skills and the opportunities open to me when challenging myself to work, to learn new things, to develop, and to gain goals that bring me joy and benefit my neighbors
Were there ultimately any epithets on the list that did not require modification or change or were completely truthful?
Well, there was one. I am a miracle.
I am a small piece of the great miracle of life that we read about in the Psalms. "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth." (Ps. 139:15)
I am also one of the many branches of the vine, which are all different from each other, but all have the same vital task: "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." (Joh. 15:4.)
By the way, what are you like? Why don’t you write a letter and tell me, so we can continue our discussion!
Text: Joonas Majuri
Translation: Sirkka-Liisa Leinonen
Jeesus sanoi opetuslapsille: ”Kaikki kansat kootaan hänen eteensä, ja hän erottaa ihmiset toisistaan, niin kuin paimen erottaa lampaat vuohista.” Matt. 25:32
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