My Answer

Last night’s post about our own identities was cause for some brilliant introspection and some truly intelligent conversation. I deferred until this morning to answer the question myself.

All in the Timing

In revisiting my introduction to the last 25 people I have met, I have only been asked my identity once. Whether it is a side-effect of life in the American south or just my uber-polite social circle, I am introduced to most everyone I meet. This, however, does not deter me from having an answer or using it.

The one person who did ask me, knew my name, my profession, my faith, my gender, my familial role and my employment status. All which remained were politics and character. The politics would wait, but the character was the question. The question was posed:

Who are you inside?”

My answer was cryptic, but true: I am complete.

My Name

My License Plate

My License Plate

I have many names. I am Ann Marie. I am Annie. I am Momma. I am Ms. Dwyer. I am Momma Bear. I am Trouble. I am Ursula. I am Red. I am Playground Bully. I am Bitch Goddess.

Over the years, the names have changed and fallen from use, but they all refer to me. I do not subscribe my existence to any handle in particular, so my name is not indicative of my identity. It merely aids others in remembering who they think I am.

I am spiritual.

I commune with my guiding forces in some of the oddest places. At the grocery. In my truck. At my dinner table. In my tub. In my laundry room. In my bed. Deep in the woods. On the sidewalk. It is a convenience afforded those with a force which is omnipresent. It is where I am.

I am an entrepreneur.

I have never played, or worked as it were, well with others. While I can be largely helpful and tremendously patient, it is not a choice I make for myself in many cases beyond my progeny. I have worked for others but have only been truly happy to toil when I was free of accounting for my corporate actions to anyone but myself.

I have reinvented myself many times to suit my financial and corporate needs. I remain at heart a writer, truly my profession. Yet, still, it is not enough to call me a writer, for even in my writing I am more than merely a scribe.

Four Generations

Four Generations

I am family.

I am a granddaughter. I am a daughter. I am a niece. I am a sister. I am a cousin. I am a mother. I am an aunt. I am a grandmother. Some days, I am more than one at a time. Still other times, I am also a surrogate father. Truly, I cannot be solely or completely described by any familial status.

I have character.

I am honest, logical, spontaneous, forthright, obstinate, erudite, brave, intelligent, patient, verbose, kind, tenacious, impatient, intolerant, longsuffering, forgiving, hard-hearted, compassionate, demure, caring, passionate, cruel, strong, fair, capricious, valiant, vulnerable, steadfast, willful, faithful. The length of the list is not indicative of all of my characteristics. Singly or in solido, they do not represent my identity.

I am self-employed.

Being an entrepreneur means working for oneself. There are times when I am worth and earn my salary. There are other times when I do not pay for the work I have not done. I pay myself what I need to maintain a household for the children still living at home.

On the days when I have no interest in my profession, I do not work. Neither my rate of pay nor my inclination to perform changes my status or my identity.

I am disgusted.

Detail of Preamble to US Constitution

The political arena, of which I was once a participating combatant, renders me to the point of tears. The level of corruption, malfeasance, non-feasance, incompetence, nepotism, glad-handing, duping, abuse and other equally unsavory actions are beyond what I would have ever dreamed the American public would allow.

Were it up to me, we would scrap the entire thing and begin with the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, to craft a document with concise language with little to no room for interpretation. Yes, there are some Amendments which may not make the cut in my version of what government should and should not be.

While these attitudes and opinions have changed very little over the decades, my social outrage is not what defines me.

I am not silent.

I have no trepidation meeting others. I have nothing to hide. The things I have done have made me the person I am today. I do not prefer to be anonymous. I want others to know I existed and did everything in my power to make a positive difference. Anonymity does not define me.

I am other.

Are you talking to me?

Are you talking to me?

I am complete.

Others have the choice of acknowledging or ignoring my declaration; Neither diminishes its veracity.

Others may identify the qualities and responsibilities in me; Their recognition is incomplete because I am far more than the simple sum of my component occupations.

Others see my emotion, yet they cannot gauge or grasp its scope, variety and intensity; I am more than my expression at singular or aggregate events.

Others may see my need and assume I need assistance; The assumption leaves me cold, for they cannot perceive my capabilities.

Others see my self-sufficiency; They mistakenly discount my genuine desire for companionship and help.

Others perceive my compassionate love without knowing its power; The ignorance leaves me unlikely to share it.

Whatever you may perceive, I will always be more, for you cannot see all my dimensions without being inside my skin to see the things I hold sacred and safe against those who may be too careless to appreciate their value.

Has your answer changed from last night? How so? If not, why should it not?

PS If you blogged about this since last night, leave a link in the comments, please.

© Red Dwyer 2011
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31 Comments

  1. So much information! How often do we judge people based on what we think we know about them! No time for blogging right now, but will asap (even though I’ll miss the boat in many ways).

    One thing I have found – my identity is none of those things except who I am in Christ. Many of our identities are or could be temporary, but that is the one that stands forever. It’s a thing between God and I that every time I start thinking of myself as “fill in the blank”, I get the rug pulled out from under me. My life has been a series of me seeking an identity and Him saying, “No, that’s not it.” I finally realized the point, but it took me a while!!! lol.

    You, whatever your identity, is definately amazing! (used is on purpose:)

    Reply
    • You never miss the boat when you take an important subject to your audience.

      I am thrilled you are so secure in your relationship with God. It is a tough road with many opportunities to stumble and shine.

      And thank you for you effusive compliments. Red.

      Reply
  2. You forgot – hero!

    Reply
    • Aye, but that one is not a title I give myself…Some days the things which make me a hero make me believe I am truly masochistic!

      Reply
  3. Wish I could answer this one, but I can’t add anything other than my previous comment.

    Love and hugs!

    Prenin.

    Reply
  4. To sum it up, it’s like the song “I’m a bitch, I’m lover, I’m a child, I’m a mother …” I think that one and your description is as close as it ever gets to describing a woman. Even though we are all different, many parts overlap there.

    Reply
    • I suppose the overlapping parts are the ones upon which I cannot identify myself, as they are not entirely mine.

      Reply
  5. Red, this may be one of your very finest blog posts. Superb, well done, Kudos to you. Yes, I am talking to YOU, Red, Momma, Ursula, AnnMarie, MommaBear et al. YOU. Well done!

    Reply
    • Thank you. I rarely put it all in one place. Something akin to “You can’t handle the truth!” Glad you liked it. Red.

      Reply
  6. awarewriter

     /  December 18, 2011

    I agree with Raymond Red. Super post. I’m not changing a word of what I said last night.

    John

    Reply
  7. Pleased to know you better, Red. I would not change a thing from my own approach or answer.

    I think your answers to who you are tend to underscore one major philosophy I have about people – they defy quick characterization, no matter how much information is offered. You’ve offered quite a bit, and each comment stimulates dozens of follow-up questions. I guess above all else, you are most interesting, for sure!

    Reply
  8. My journey to completeness or even self-awareness is far from over. In fact I daresay I’m even half-way there. Your post is good meat for the soul.

    Reply
  9. christybelle1

     /  December 21, 2011

    Who I am changes as my experiences vary and my knowledge grows. Relationships change and I am always learning. I hope ‘me’ will be a continually evolving concept for the rest of my life. I enjoyed your post Ann Marie/Red/Writer. -Christy

    Reply
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