Self Is

"Self is. Self is body and bodily perception. Self is thought, memory, belief. Self creates. Self destroys. Self shapes. Self adapts. Self invents its own reasons for being" - Parable of the Talents

Anyone who knows me personally knows I have a sweet and positive obsession with Octavia Butler. For those of you who don’t know, she’s basically the black matriarch in science fiction/ speculative fiction writings. The first work I read by her was Dawn. I fell in love.

My favorite work is the Parable series; which includes Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents. The quote I’ve opened this entry with is my favorite from the series. It has become a testament that explains my current perspective in regards to myself and the space I occupy in the universe.

“Self is”. We exist. We exist physically and metaphysically. Our perception of ourselves is based on “thought, memory, and belief.” We are shaped by our experiences in the world. What we remember and what we choose to forget or silence shapes us body and bodily. “Self creates. Self destroy. Self shapes. Self adapts. Self invents its own reason for being.” Self is constantly changing. Change is both progression and digression. These changes shape our being.

I am currently going through a progressive phase in my life, where I’ve begun to understand what self is and how self is shaped. In order for me, and for that matter anyone, to truly come to terms with themselves they need to understand and conceptualize their life experiences thus far (thought, memory, belief). This is my first quest: coming to terms with my past and understanding how it shapes what I’ve determined as my present and what I hope for my future. It’s a sankofa mentally at heart.

Ramble over.

-Peace