How We Identify Ourselves

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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?


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