Who are we?

Who are we? who are you? who am I?

How can we define ourselves? we use nationality, age, gender, religion, culture, employment. education, ability, class, colour, weight, height, language, eye colour, hair colour, we may use our status of being a parent, a son, a daughter, an orphan, a sibling, an aunt, uncle a grandparent, a citizen, we may see ourselves as richer poorer due to material wealth, or maybe its love, friendship and loyalty that are the true riches. The home or lack of it is usually used as a social indicator, as is the car we drive.

Others may use all these examples to define us, but also see us as humble, arrogant, wise, foolish, happy, sad, brave, cowardly, meek or even wild.

Maybe though what truly define sus is far more elusive? Maybe it is more about the experiences we gathered on our voyage to this point in history, possibly the decisions already made or about to be made?

So who am I? well yes I am a white British male, I am a father, I am overweight, I am living with chronic illness, I was a social worker, I am a socialist, I am a biker, I have friends, I am social, I speak only one language fluently (this one), I am a son, a brother. My hair was blonde but now mousey brown with grey, my eyes are still blue. I’m six foot tall and in my very early fifties as I write this.

My future plans changed when I got ill and had to retire from my career. I was earning good money and loved my job, at that time if asked to define myself it would have been at the top of my list. The past few years have been challenging and at best unsettled, at worst, well let us say touch and go.

I lived and worked all over the UK as a social worker, but now spend 80 – 90% of my time in my little disabled bungalow. I do still have occasional good days and do get out upon those, that is when I see myself as living rather than just existing.

So given all the above I am sure some folk would describe me as arrogant, foolish, a snowflake, a wuss, a scrounger, fat, and many other derogatory terms, in fact I know a few that do just that. Others see me differently, thankfully, I see myself somewhere in the middle. I am a human being, not perfect and completely fallible.

There are some people I see as I see myself, some I have a little less respect for but the vast majority I believe have huge potential to be far better than me. You may well be one of them

What I really respect in people is morality, being ethical, challenging discrimination and hate. I do not care what you drive, the clothes you wear, whether you live in a mansion or a tent, Your phone doesn’t impress me, nor does the name on your handbag. The people I am drawn to may have nothing or everything materially, but they will share whatever they do have to alleviate the pain and anguish of others.

You can be whoever you are with me. You can laugh with me, cry upon me, shout or scream at me. If you need me I will try to be there, as I know many of you would be for me.

My class is human.

So whether you are a biker, or rapper, whether you have kids or not, whether you have scars, stretch marks or a few ripples like me, you have the potential to be my friend. You will not be judged ever as harshly as I judge myself, You need no airs and graces, you need only be yourself.

If you want to better yourself, do so by being humane, not for stretching out into the void for lavishes you never will likely receive.

Live life for you, your family and those you love, the only person that has the right to criticise you is you, and then it will likely be too harsh.

Jonesy