I understood what she was getting at. If life continues again and again, where does meaning live? What’s the point of wanting anything, building anything, or becoming anything at all?

As challenging as it is to stay true to yourself and speak and act accordingly in this world, it’s far easier than not to. The hardest part will be to remember who you are. The rest you already know how to do, because you are already you.

My life hasn’t been a walk in the park. I’ve been through many difficulties and spent years feeling lost and confused. Being a believer in reincarnation, I wondered often if I was being punished for something I’d done in a previous life.

The world we live in seldom encourages authenticity, at least not genuinely, I often feel. We may hear words of empowerment to be authentic, but when we do we are often reprimanded for being too real.

We live in a society that often typecasts us in a certain role based on our outward appearance and demeanor. Expectations start to form about who we are based on those impressions that reinforce and motivate us to be that person.