Think of all of the ways that you identify yourself. How do others identify you? Is the list long or short? Distinguished one moment - down right silly the next?
I started thinking about this subject when I did something yesterday that now seems very silly.
I called my horse trainer last night and identified myself as such:
"Hi Wendy, this is LMT, Layla's mom!"
Good grief! Later I thought to myself - I am not the mother of this horse for Pete sake. But, I identify myself that way in the section of my life that revolves around horses. Rather than saying, this is Layla's owner - I see myself as her mother, her caretaker! A psychologist would have a field day with me!
After thinking about it more, I have identified myself in various ways over the years.
In the beginning of my marriage - I did NOT want to change my last name. So, I identified myself, every chance that I got, by including my maiden name. That wore off over time when I finally realized that losing my maiden name and taking my husband's name did not change who I was and it did not change my real identity.
Early in my husband's career a few people he worked with started calling me Mrs. Rank (whatever his rank was at the time) after I had asked them to please STOP calling me Ma'am. They still refused to call me by my first name (as I had requested) or Mrs. LMT - so I embraced the name they gave me and I still remember those Soldiers fondly.
After I had children I was called mommy. Then others would identify me as the mom of whichever child they were referring to. Nope, no one called me Mrs. LMT or LMT, I was the mom of a child.
I now realize that when I call the vet to make appointments for my other animals, I refer to myself as their mother too!
I do have my own identity - outside of being a mother, wife or owner. A few people do see me simply as LMT. I see myself as LMT - that wears a lot of hats. I am comfortable with all of my identities. I tend to wear so many hats that I can't begin to recall all of the ways I have been identified over the years.
How many identities do you have or have you had over the years?