Am I in the Dictionary?

Who do you define yourself?

No, I didn’t mistype that. I don’t mean “HOW” do you define yourself. I mean “WHO”.

My father’s family really defined me during my high school years. I was home-schooled, so I was with them all day and night. My dad was the pastor of our small country church, so family influence ruled there too.

I applied for only one college close to home, because that’s where my parents influenced me to go. Never occurred to me to go anywhere else.

I majored in music because my parents influenced me that direction. It was all I knew that I could do at the time. Never occurred to me to try anything else that I might enjoy.

I took all the classes that my advisor recommended. Never occurred to me to question the status quo.

I continued to attend church with my family because my dad was the pastor. Never occurred to me explore my faith independently.

Other people defined who I was and dictated who I would be. They all meant well and had my best interest in mind, so they’re not at all to blame. I’m certainly grateful for the foundation I had for becoming who I am, but at the time I was aimless, empty, and unsure of myself.

I simply didn’t know who I was.

So who has defined who you are?