Identity

This is my first-ever blog post. I have been thinking about blogging for a while, just because I like to write. When you are in school, you have plenty of opportunities to write....many of which I put off, complained about, etc. But, once you're done with school, when do you have the opportunity? Writing is something that has always come pretty naturally to me, so I feel as though I am wasting a talent if I don't use it. And I don't have so many talents that I can afford to waste a single one. I don't know if anyone will ever read this blog, but aren't most blogs a selfish thing? What can be more self-centered than thinking your life is so interesting people will want to read about it?

Deciding the topic for my first-ever blog post was a challenge. When I become an award-winning blogger, people will want to see how it all started! Such pressure!

I decided I should probably start by writing about who I am, and that got me thinking about identity. How should I describe myself? I'm Mike's wife, Connor's mom, a middle school teacher. But people always say you should really know yourself....not as someone's daughter, wife, or mother....but the REAL you. What if being a daughter, wife, mother, and teacher IS the real me? I wouldn't be ME if it weren't for all those roles.

People started telling me I should be a teacher when I was 8 years old and doing flashcards with my sister and the other daycare kids. I tried to rebel and pick a different major when I was a freshman, but it didn't stick. I knew what my calling was (as did everyone else, apparently). SO, isn't being a teacher part of me? In high school, my best friend was afraid to tell me when she got her tongue pierced. In college, some of my roomies affectionately (??) called me "mom". SO, isn't being a mom just naturally part of who I am?

I don't know if I buy into that philosophy that you shouldn't be defined by your roles. I am proud of my roles. I feel as if I was meant to fill all of those roles. So...who am I? Just a Midwestern wife, mother, daughter, and teacher who likes to write. Welcome to my blog.