Identity

Last week I was in the pool with a patient and we were discussing genealogy DNA testing. She is an African-American woman in her 60's who for years has been unsure of who her father was. It was an interesting discussion because her DNA testing allowed for her to narrow down who she thought her father was, as well as tell her that a good 50% of her genetic makeup was Ashkenazi Jewish decent. I'd never heard of Ashkenazi before. It means she has much more European genetic make up then African. Her mother's DNA testing resulted in over 80% sub-Saharan African decent. This patient told me how her genealogy search is very important to her discovering her identity. I remember hearing my response coming out of my mouth and thinking it was very profound. I told her that I was the opposite of her. I have heard of my family history my entire life. I know personally all four of my  grandparents, living still to this day. I know my grandfather came over from Germany in the 1950's and his side of the family has a history of German and Polish descent. My paternal grandmother's mother immigrated to Canada from England in early 1900's in search of a cowboy. That cowboy has a mixture of French-Canadian and Mexican in his line ancestry. I have vivid personal memories of 3 out of the 8 of my great-grandparents, and seven of them were still alive when I was born. My identity is very much made up of the inheritance and legacy of knowing who my family is and was. I told my patient that although I cannot relate in not knowing who my father was, I can relate in understanding just how important your identity is in defining you as a person. Her perceived lack of identity defines her.

Last weekend I attended a conference where the speaker  was Steven Wheelwright, President of BYU-Hawaii. He re-told the story from Genesis of Joseph of Egypt. He pointed out that at each cross-roads in Joseph's life two things determined his ability to successfully overcome, 1.) knowing his identity and 2.) acting with integrity.

Joseph knew who he was, he knew the Living God, and he lived his religion. Joseph showed integrity in how hard he worked and was able to be the kind of person that God wanted him to be. In his captivity, time and time again people trusted him, from Potipher to the butler and baker, all the way up to the Pharaoh himself.

President Wheelwright also quoted Elder Bruce R. McConkie from his April 1981 address "Upon This Rock",

"Every person born in this world builds a house of some sort and puts it on a foundation of his own choosing. And every house built in this mortal sphere is subject to the storms and strifes of life. Our mortal probation is one in which the divine purpose calls for rain and wind and floods.

We live in the midst of a swirling storm of sin. The rains of evil and the winds of false doctrine and the floods of carnality beat upon every house.

It is within our power to build a house of faith, a house of righteousness, a house of salvation."

 I've been thinking about my identity. 

I am a daughter of God. Most importantly, I know I am a daughter of God. 

I am a covenant keeping woman. 

I am a daughter of Tonia and Orlando Kelm

I am a sister, sister-in-law, aunt, granddaughter, niece, and cousin

I am a listening friend

I am a compassionate Physical Therapist Assistant. 

I am a homemaker in my own home. 

I am a member of the Relief Society

I am a  member missionary

I am a painter, a blogger, a baker, a chef, an exercise enthusiast, and a creator of crafts

Knowing who I am defines how I see myself and how the world sees me. 

I like to think I am true to the title of this blog, "Blooming where she is planted". It's one of my personal motto's that helps define my approach to life. A friend this week posted this picture on facebook with me specifically in mind, and another posted the second picture. 

I am also an Austinite. Yesterday I ran a short loop around town lake. I love that trail. I also love that I ran into a field of my favorite Texas Wildflower, the Indian Blanket. Then I met my parents at Central Market to checkout the Passport of Italy displays and ate at Tacodeli on my way home. Yes, this weekend I was a true Austinite! 

Sometimes blooming where you are planted means that you change the conditions around you. A flower in a pot can't leave the pot easily, but the amount of sunlight and water you give it can change. I love the world of physical therapy that I am in, but I have decided that in order to blossom more beautifully, my conditions need to change and I am changing jobs from outpatient to home health starting in June. It is also a decision that was ultimately easy to make because I know my identity and I can confidently make choices. 

Are you blooming where you are planted? Do you know who you are? If not, refer back to Elder McConkie, you have the power to change.