A SPIRIT MOVING THROUGH TIME

The answer to "who are you ?"

 

A SPIRIT MOVING THROUGH TIME

 

Don`t rush off---you are one of those spirits.

 

Everybody has been faced with that question at

some time, "who are you?"

 

Like myself, most people are tempted to answer

with what they do.   "I`m a secretary", or "I`m

a nuclear physicist", or "I`m Doctor Jones".

 

We are inclined to identify with those who are

famous, or in power.  I recall when John F. Kennedy

was President of the United States, I felt kindred

to him.  He had such great personality, it seemed

that he touched every life.

 

I recall sitting in the waiting room of a large

hospital talking to one of the most famous of

American Band Leaders.   This guy had been

married many times to movie stars and other

famous women.  He was great!

After we had talked for about an hour we felt

sort of "friendly".   He said, "John, I don`t know

what`s going to happen to me, my life is a mess."

 

A few days ago a cute lady made an appearance

on the inter net.   She is obviously well off, world

wise and locked in a box.   With the voice of a tourist

she told me about a recent trip half way around

the world.   She should have stayed home and

looked at the National Geographic---that was her

identity from the trip.  She is a person who was at

a certain place and she spoke to certain persons.

 

Don`t it just fry your eggs ?   You ask some guy

who he is and he says, "Oh, I am purchasing agent

for Diablo systems (made up name), or some such

identity.   The first thing you think, I wonder what

this guy knows, who does he know, how does he

think, where did he go to school and on and on.

In other words, once somebody tells you who he is

you then start to search your mind for his identity.

 

Websters was very little help with the word

identity.   Basically, Websters touches on Psychiatry

as a basis for identity, then wanders through various

forms of terminology, none of which bring us any

closer to truth.

 

Some time ago, having written a lengthy poem, it

was called, 'A Cowboy`s Travels in Ireland'.

See, I had to tell who I was to give people something

to tie to.  I became ,"a Cowboy".

The poem touched on my ancestors, places the Irish

would be interested in, even how I got, partially,

the way I am.

 

Some authority on writing once indicated that we

should rarely write about our selves, instead go

to and examine ideas, ideals,  perspectives, etc.

I agree with that theory to a large extent.  Why ?

Because the minute you identify yourself with a

trade, profession, or the arts, you lose all the rest

of your potential readers.

 

A few years ago when on an oral board, testing

applicants for police jobs, I asked an applicant ,

"who are you".   It was a careless question and I

suppose I expected the usual, "student", or

"biologist", whatever.   Instead of the usual answer

one applicant became very agitated, was dismissed,

but came in to my office the following day saying.

"Mr. Crowley, I think I know who I am."

 

That little incident is just mentioned for it`s humor

value and to indicate just how some people are

isolated from any knowledge of 'self'.

 

Did you ever notice ?  Somebody says ," yes I have a

Master`s degree".  The usual retort from the other is,

what is your master`s in ?  Maybe, where did you get

your master`s ?

No matter what the answer, you will be putting that

person in a box.   You will tend to think of them in

terms of the school they attended, or the discipline in

which they studied.

 

We do know that we are a moving being, we observe,

and we relate to others and their ideas.  We don`t

just move and relate in a room, while running  or

at work on plumbing.  

 

We relate to others in a continuum of time.

"When we were children we thought of children`s

things and when grown we put away the things of

childhood and took up the things of men and women".

 

We are the spirit that moves us through life.

 

Any thoughts on this?   Ever have trouble with someone

you like a lot, but you have to give up close

association with that person because they just live

in a box ?   Try to get your friends out of the box,

try to get that spirit moving out in to the world----

even checking out a tropical island.  ; -)

 

----John Crowley

 

Reviews

[Renée]

Boy I could write a book with chapters in response to your story..but I won't...I think this is my favorite writing of yours... makes me think in so many areas...
Who am I ? Aw the possibilities are endless... Great thoughts you captured and I am glad you did !

[Eagle Cruagh]

Yup ! You said it, well partly------ if you had continued, you would have made my story,
you see where we are in this life is where we find others------ you nearly told me where
you are, who you are and how to know you. Well, that was just one year ago, so there
may still be hope, hope that we can escape the box and live..........
------ John Crowley (Eagle Cruagh)

[Renée]

Ah but Mr. Crowley…. I am like you… a soul… so there are no limitations only puzzles

[Eagle Cruagh]

If we keep this up it will only be another year or two until
we communicate--- Really !
---- Eagle

[Renée]

chuckling ! You think that long?

[Eagle Cruagh]

We are showing progress !

[Greg the Bard]

Eagle, the truth in these words are self evident. I'm 60 years old now and my answer to your question includes what I've done in those 60 years. I've been many things many times. I believe in your work that you too have been many things to many people. The type of person we are when asked "Who are you" is determined by the choises we have made in the past. When was the last time you took someone by name only? My name is Gary Davis Gregory and I AM Gary. It is your job now to find out who I am but for no other reason than my name I'm also your friend.

[GYPSYLEAH]

I really enjoyed this! The thoughts and images it provoked as I read were of myself, others and just many situations in every day life. I kept thinking "I am a housewife, mother, wife, etc...., but who am I really?? Who was I before I became all those people?? I don't think all of who I am can fit in a very small or average size box. I am all of the above mentioned with a big plus sign after. I wrote a poem once titled "Faces of Me" and this made me think of that poem, which I haven't in quite some time. Enjoyed!!

[Tobias Wall]

Not enough folks realize how we move about like you said, how we're spirits moving through time. How impossible seems the task to get the world to shed the idea of structure and boxes! Even more so since I put people into boxes myself. But somehow, word by word, we'll get the world to come around. I really believe this in my heart. It'll take the right people (us), but it can get done. This piece refreshes my optimism on the subject, thank you!

[Emily B]

Some people live lives of commonplace regularity. Go to work, go home, mow the yard, go to church and start all over the next week. Some people stagnate not only in the identity afforded by their profession, but also in the things their paychecks can buy. They gain identity in the brand name.

I like this. I like the idea of getting that spirit moving. Of getting people out of the box. Personally, I am a person of wondrous possibility, always learning, always growing, always moving.

[emmajoy]

An interesting post that needs at least two readings because it's multi layered. By the end of it I felt as I have for ages that we should take people for WHAT they are not who they are. If when you meet a person for the first time and you dumb up on the obvious questions it's amazing how the two of you can inter-act!

That's been done within studies, with no mention of the word 'I'/'me' etc. - a very difficult exercise because in the process of avoiding those words, the individual is focussing on self!

What makes a person laugh or giggle? Not a question about having a Master's degree! What makes a person cry or gasp? Not a question about having a Master's degree! Sincerely put innocent questions can result in far more honest and genuine responses.. looking someone square in the eye, comfortably, and in a friendly way, results in warmth more times than not. The status thing is immaterial, the value is the core of the human being not the pic of cap and gown or the bank balance or the grand house!

Reading for a fifth time, is this written of or to a specific person!

Sorry, I could go on and on and on, but, you asked and am never one to ignore a question like that. What a thought-provoking piece of writing!

[Tracie Skarbo]

Loved the tropical island reference...I feel the undertone of hidden meaning. :) Anyhow I liked the piece but did not agree with some of it. Perhaps I would ask what the Masters Degree would be in but i would not stop there, I would dig deeper to get at the spirit within as you have so aptly described. I think most writers would. We are constantly looking at our characters trying to figure out what makes them tick, why would it be any different with real living and breathing souls? The Masters Degree is only the first layer of the onion, you need to peel back more layers if you are ever to get to the heart of the matter; the way a person feels and thinks.

Oh and personally I think that guy who you asked the question "who are you?" to was upset not because of the question posed but because he didn't truely know the answer. You made him see that and forced him out of the 'box'. People don't like crawling out of the comfort zone they have been inhabiting, much less being forced out of it. Perhaps with a little coaching the transition would be less of a shock. Perhaps it would make the light at the end of the tunnel a little easier to see. Just some thoughts.

Big Smiles
Tigra

[Kena Dawn Augustine]

This was an excellent story Eagle. def made me think and ponder, and it was well written. its true, i know i have bashed myself for that same reason, i ddin't have a sense of "identity" when i looked at others with their master degrees, or family, or married, i was like, im a loser bec i have none of those things. but it's true, we are spirits deep down, and nothing outside of us should "define" us. i shouldn't be shaped according to what i do, my profession. bec i n a second that can all be gone, and all i will have is my spirit and that i'm a daughter of God, which has more identitiy material than these other finite things.

thanks for sharing.

kena