Passing and Failing the Identity Test

As I reflected with a friend recently over a coffee we both mused about the respective people in our midst’s who’ve undergone extensive identity crises—notwithstanding ourselves! I’d indeed met this friend in the grip of my own crisis years back, and my friend had dealt with theirs too.

It seems to be one of life’s key tests this one of identity—and at times in an ongoing sense. No one goes through life without at least once or twice profoundly questioning who they are and what they’re about. It’s part of being a human being with a sharp, inquisitive mind and a heart capable of feeling both pleasure and pain.

And, so there it is for us…

The moment of truth looms and we find ourselves with the choice either to fight resiliently (in truth) or run toward whatever myriad of distractions there are in this life that promise to keep us from addressing the truth about ourselves, and importantly, passing the identity test.

We cannot underestimate the power of this stage of life in sowing for us a future that’s both palatable and healthy.

Someone who’s continually running from their real lives as painful as they might be—be it from addiction, failed relationship etc—robs themselves but they also rob their loved ones and those close by; a part of everyone’s identity is the poorer because this one person cannot embrace the truth.

The more people in our circle of influence that are real about their own issues—at true, meaningful peace with themselves—the more our own sense of identity (with them) will be reinforced.

This is the idea of interdependence—one of the truly great conditions of our humanity. Interdependence is the power of spiritual life and death.

© S. J. Wickham, 2009.