Being yourself

Yesterday I talked about how being ill made me lose my sense of self. I was reflecting on that again earlier today, as I walked through the mall. At this age, and as I am about to reach another birthday, I have a pretty clear sense of who I am. Some things change with time and with new experiences, but there are certain moments where there is a spark, a click, a flash of Lisaness. At the mall it happened when I walked into Earthbound and began browsing the peace sign jewelry, and felt drawn to some simple bracelets that matched my style. I can think of other moments- eating ice cream late at night and and talking with friends, looking at Jenny's happy pant and kissing her nose, adjusting the orca antenna topper on my car, texting with my mother lines from Disneyland rides, cutting an avocado and hearing Imagine on my iPod, sitting on this couch and watching people while hearing the new Lifehouse song on the radio- "I'm all in, nothing left to hide...". They are the little moments that aren't just my hobbies, but the things that tie into my deeper loves that have never left me. Family, friends, peace, optimism, hope, the world. I'm not perfect, but I know who I am and what drives me to be a better person, and I think that's a good place to be.

(photo from La Alameda, park in Queretaro, Mexico, 5/27/10)