Friday, November 07, 2008

The People We Are

I'm still feeling wonderful about the election. Hopeful for the future. Optimistic about things. That the world is full of possibility.

I've been thinking a lot about how we get to be the people we are. What makes us a person who wants to run for president? What makes us someone who wants to be an executive, a nurse, a bird-watcher or a stock broker? What is that driving force, the motivation?

I don't want to be any of those things, but I'm thankful there are people who do. Every four years I'm astonished there is a whole field of people who seek the presidency. Obviously, anyone who does so feels a great desire for it or they wouldn't undertake the arduous process.

The experts would tell us we're all a mix of nature and nurture and we can't ever be sure how much of which because neither exists independently. I suppose that makes sense, but I do wonder how we get to be the people we are.