Did I ask you who you are?
A woman was in agony. Suddenly she had the feeling that she was being taken to heaven and brought before the court. - Who are you, said a voice. - I am the mayor's wife," she answered. - I asked you who you are, not who you are married to? - "I am the mother of 4 children" - I asked you who you are, not how many children you have. - "I am a school teacher" - I asked you who you are, not what your profession is.
And so on and so forth. Whatever she answered, she couldn't seem to give a satisfactory answer to the question Who are you.
- I am a Christian - I asked you who you are, not what your religion is. - "I am a person who went to church every day and helped the poor and needy" - I asked you who you are, not what you did.
Evidently, she failed the test, because she was sent back to earth. When she recovered from her illness, she became determined to find out who she was. And everything was different.
Your obligation is to BE. Not to be a character, not to be a nobody - because there is a lot of greed and ambition there - not to be this or that - because that conditions a lot - just to be.
(Anthony de Mello. The Prayer of the Frog 1)
Next: Wisdom of an old woman
Previous: Never forget your friends