What/Whom do you identify yourself with?

Ria2006 · Dec 13, 2007

I just remembered this question yesterday. When I started working 10 years back, I joined one of the leading engineering firm in India.
That was our first day right after college and we were just over enthusiastic crowd and fresh college graduates. There were graduates from all over India. We were 85 in that batch. So HR lady started the first day of orientation in big style. Lots of welcome reception and pep-up speeches. Then we had our big shots of companies sitting right in front of us. After every one finished speaking , It was our turn to introduce ourselves. So this innovative HR lady came up with good idea, Instead of simply telling our name and back ground. She said she wants people to leave with one strong thought each about every new hire.
So she asked us to describe ourselves in response to her questions..
What is that one thing, one person, one place or anything we identify ourselves with and WHY?
All of us had some 15 minutes to think before any one's name will called out by Random picking.
I very well remember not only mine but atleast some 20-30 people's response. People came with lots of bright ideas.
Yesterday, I was just analyzing my own answer and I asked that question again to myself. To my surprise my answer had changed over 10 year’s period.
Here was first answer:
I would like to identify myself with a river. A river always flows only forward. It doesn’t go back on any of its course. It gives life and vigor to anybody who comes in its circle of influence. It just embraces all nature has to give to it. At the same time, it's strongly dedicated to meet its bigger goal in life. To keep ecology of system and to meet its ultimate destination i.e Ocean of knowledge and compassion.
I remember my answer was quoted couple of times by senior people. And there were couple of other's response too.
Now I am happy and enlightened with my current answer
I would like to identify myself with Rainbow. Because it comes in people 's life when everything is dark and cloudy. It comes from deep and dark clouds of uncertainty and hopelessness. It never ceases to bring life and vigor to us just with very sight of it. I would like to be that Rainbow in anybody's life I come across.
I would like to know what other think about this question.. Lets wear our thinking caps and surprise one another.
Ria

Sriniketan · Dec 13, 2007

Nice post, ria which makes us think about ourselves and connect us to nature.

In the IL i am connected to the flying bird which flies over the world and sees everything likewise i also like to travel and also increase my knowledge in all matters.

I like to be connected to the 'innocent smile' of the babies which brings happiness to everyone who sees the baby, in whatever mood they are in.
Likewise, i like to bring happiness in the lives of people, directly or indirectly.
sriniketan

Ria2006 · Dec 13, 2007

Wow!

Thats very nice thought . " innocent smile" of a kid. Very true, thats what makes this world a livable place.

Great answer sriniketan

Ria

prana · Dec 14, 2007

Hi,
Nice post......I like to resemble myself with the rain....Always to be very cool..and help all the people with out partiality.....Rain gives happiness to everyone starting from a small kid to the older age people.....

Blondie · Dec 14, 2007

My Mother.

She was the link between the Old and the new for me.
liberated me from old traditions/notions and welcomed new ways thoughts into her life.
Just like her i hope to be the link between old and new for my daughter/son.

Anushiv · Dec 14, 2007

Hi Ria,

Interesting thread. Well, Somehow I have a great fascination for peacocks. Even though it is used as a simile for proud/pride. It has its own beauty & talent. Neither I look beautiful nor a good dancer like peacock but I am proud of myself being a woman (esp. born in a middle class family), proud of being an Indian, proud of being a Hindu, proud of being a mother (two kids)...what else? If only everybody look at their positive aspects... definitely, they can start loving oneself & that can help to love others.
Love yourself first; be happy & contented. Peacock indeed a symbolic bird.
And, like peacock I like rich, bright colours...its shows radiance & richness.
Its walk/dance....has grace & charm. Even though, it is a cock...it has a feminine quality!

Oops! Hope I have not written an essay about Peacock!
Just felt like sharing...

Ria2006 · Dec 15, 2007

Anushiv,Prana and Blondie

Thanks for adding your nice comments .
I must say, great imagination and deep thinking.. What a choice Rain, Mother and peacock..
Wow ! Women are so deep thinker..

Thanks , Ria
:hatsoff

kanaka Raghavan · Dec 17, 2007

I would like to identify myself with clear blue sky.I would like to be as open and blemishless as the vast lovely blue blus sky and reach for heights.

SoaringSpirit · Dec 17, 2007

Great thread Ria!

Made me think real hard. It was an excellent exercise for the brain and made me think about all the beautiful things that exist around us that we don’t so much take notice of.

I loved the creative responses from all of you here. Here’s mine.

I would like to identify myself with a mountain.

A mountain stands tall in any season and is unperturbed by the changes in weather. Only the surface of the mountain gets affected by seasons (it becomes lush green in spring and summer, colorful in fall and snow covered or barren in winter) but its foundation and core remains unaffected and unchanged.

A mountain gives people the chance to overcome their fears by scaling its heights. It gives people a different kind of “high” in life – to get an all encompassing view from the top that is breathtakingly beautiful yet real. It gives them memories of a beautiful sight to be cherished for later, for, it is not always that one will be fit enough to climb a mountain.

For those who choose not to climb, the mountain provides them not just with a scenic view but also a curiosity “what lies beyond the mountain” that may sometimes propel people to take a longer, unanticipated, fun drive just to satiate that curiosity and stumble across something wonderful on the way.

And last but not the least, a mountain does not demand any kind of “maintenance” from anyone except God and nature. It is self reliant yet is part of the real world.

I would like to be like that mountain – have a strong core that remains firmly grounded so people I come across can lean on me - yet have a surface that can feel the pain and happiness of the people I come across. I’d like to be able to help people overcome their fears, push them harder to try and go beyond so that they are wonderfully surprised to discover their own capabilities and what pleasure those capabilities can bring to them. I would like to leave people with beautiful memories from my interaction with them – memories that they will cherish for life. I would like them to know that I am not going anywhere, will always be here if they need me.And last but not the least, I hope to not be dependent (at least not completely) on anyone for my survival. Be self sufficient and self reliant.

Hey, I know this is a lot to achieve. But shouldn’t we always set goals that are high but seem achievable? J

SS

Ria2006 · Dec 17, 2007

Thanks Kanaka and SS.

Beautiful thoughts.

Clear blue sky..it just speaks of how clear you must be in yourself. That lets you see the clarity and height as two big goals of life.. Hats off...

SS,
You always amaze me with your lucid replies. I am glad you are active part of IL community. As always amazed by your beautiful thinking. Hats off ..
Ria