We are what we do

“We are what we do”, is something that has been drilled into me for as long as I can remember. What kind of person I should be, together with actions and re-actions which could make or break the person I become.

As child I was often conflicted as a result, haunted by my mistakes. As though bad choices had some sort of permanence in life that I could never get rid of. That I would be remembered by the things I did wrong, rather than the things I did right.

As I grew older and my experience and knowledge of the world grew, I grew with it. As my opinions changed, I change with them. As people came in and out of my life I learned from them.

I realized that what we do in life is easily defined by what we want to achieve, but who we are is defined by how we achieve it.

Titles such as Doctor and Teacher are defined by our qualification and education, by what we practice and by what we want to achieve, however our relationships with the people we encounter along the journey ultimately define who we are in the eyes of others.

Self made millionaires can justify excessive spending when there is poverty surrounding them, they can use money to secure themselves in a comfort zone which simply blocks out parts of the world which they don’t like. Their money can protect them from crime, and their ignorance can guard them from having any compassion and understanding for what causes crime, or how all their money could be part of a solution.

Millionaires are millionaires because they worked hard to get where they are, their money defines them and who they are. However the average Joe on the street that has just enough money to fulfill their needs and not a cent more to give is the one with compassion for the poor state of the country. He is the one faced with the sadness and pain of those who have nothing. He is defined by his compassion rather his money. His tears are worth more to mankind than the all millionaire’s money.