An Evening With My Soul - Master

The first episode of "An Evening With My Soul" explores the theme of identity. Identity is complex and shapes our perceptions, choices, and connections. It starts developing from a young age through our names, family roles, and cultural backgrounds. Identity is not only individual but also includes affiliations and beliefs. In the digital age, social media allows us to curate online personas that may differ from our real selves. Identity evolves over time and is influenced by our experiences, relationships, and environment. It is important to recognize the interconnectedness and diversity of identities. Reflect on your own identity and embrace the journey of self-discovery. Good evening, this is Chris Meredith and I welcome you to the first episode of An Evening With My Soul. I wish to explore the theme of identity, a subject that, like a quiet stream, runs deep beneath the surface of our daily lives, shaping our perceptions, our choices and our connections to the world around us. Identity is a multifaceted gem, a concept that gleams differently depending on the angle from which one views it. It is, at its core, the answer to that most fundamental of questions, who am I? This question, deceptively simple, echoes through the chambers of human history, philosophy and personal introspection. One might begin by examining identity from the perspective of the individual. Think of the young child, barely able to string sentences together, yet already forming a sense of self. From the earliest moments we begin to accumulate layers of identity. Our names, our family roles, our cultural backgrounds, these early identifiers lay the groundwork for more complex layers that develop as we grow. My identity in my family that I was born into placed me fourth in the pecking order, behind two brothers and a sister. I had joined them 18 months after I was born as my mother had a serious illness. In this first period of life I was placed in the care of nuns until my mother recovered. I have no recollection of the nuns, but I assume they bred some good toilet habits in me. My sudden appearance in the family unit must have been hard on my siblings. I appeared to cry a lot in the photographs. Only they could attest if I did this off camera as well. What I do remember was the winter of 1963. I was eight years old and was a four-year veteran of primary school, parents arguing constantly, bonding with my sister and looking up to my very sporty and bright second eldest. The eldest brother seemed quite aloof to me, and we never quite found a bond between us. In that winter I loved the ice-cold milk with snow sitting on the top. The walk to my school with the snow going over my gumboots, and taking time to take off my gumboots in order to delay lessons a little longer, my education die was being cast. But identity is not solely an individual or cultural construct. It also encompasses our affiliations and beliefs. In recent years we have seen the rise of identity politics, where political affiliations and ideologies become central to one's sense of belief, self. This has brought both unity and division as people rally around shared beliefs or clash with those who differ. The digital age too has added new dimensions to our understanding of identity. Social media platforms allow us to curate and project identities, sometimes idealised, sometimes exaggerated. We craft online personas, often distinct from our real world selves. This can be liberating, allowing for expressions of self that might otherwise remain hidden. Yet it can also be disorienting, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. Identity is not static. It evolves over time. As we move through different stages of our life, our experiences, relationships and environments shape and reshape our sense of self. The identity of a teenager, grasping with belonging and purpose, differs markedly from that of an older adult, reflecting on a lifetime of memories and experiences. As we navigate the complexities of modern life, it is worth remembering that identity, while deeply personal, is also shared. We are, each of us, part of a larger tapestry, interconnected and interdependent. Our identities intersect and overlap, creating a rich and diverse human experience. In closing, I invite you to reflect on your own identity. Consider the many layers that make you who you are. Celebrate the diversity within yourself and in others. Embrace the journey of self-discovery for it is a journey that is ever-evolving, ever-enriching. This is Chris Meredith bidding you goodnight. Until next time, our souls meet up.