after receiving the news about my “fully intact acl” i started questioning, so how many times have i actually torn my acl? twice? thrice? what do i tell people? what even happened back on september 6th? what was that “pop”? and why do i even care?
our past is a funny thing. we attach ourselves and our identities to the stories we tell both ourselves and others. but the reality is, we are so much more than any “thing” that has happened to us. we are not our past. we are not our pain. we are who we are today. we are defined by how we choose to live our lives. by our values. our friends. our interests. our priorities. not the stories we tell.
i used to be pretty attached to the idea of learning about others’ pasts as though they were the most defining features in their identity, but i was wrong. yes, our pain undoubtedly shapes us, but it does not define us.
so instead of focusing on the past, on the events i’ve experienced, i’ve found great solace and freedom in letting go. in instead, focusing on the present. focusing on who i am today. on what i want to create. on the influence i want to have.
and the same can be true for you. you are more than the stories you tell yourself. you are more than what has happened to you. you are the person evolving within. you are you. a you that is infinitely more complex than any story could ever do justice in retelling.