I’m not just one of a kind, and you’re not just one of a kind, and we are each not just one of a kind; we are one of an eternity. No pressure! Each of us has come with a gift. And if we do not give our gift, the world misses out. – Mary Beth Ingham
We experience our identity in three distinct spheres or points of contact. Me. You. Us.
Coming into our own as a Me is a very empowering experience. To step out in courage and share our gifts, talents, innate and developed qualities is our birthright and our calling.
But it’s not just about Me, it’s also about You. Each of us can hold up a mirror for one another to show the beauty, purpose, and value in someone else’s life. To call out the goodness in You is one of the highest expressions of Me.
But it’s bigger yet, there’s more than Me and You, there’s also Us. Us is the cosmic painting, or tapestry, composed of all the lines of colour of each individual. It’s a masterpiece or a mess, but we’re all in there, together.
Our life is defined by all three points of identity. And it’s the dynamic interplay between these three that creates a resonance in our life and imbue our being with its “one of an eternity” quality, something John Duns Scotus, 12th-century philosopher, and theologian, called “thisness”.
“This” is Me. You. Us.
Join me in this episode as I attempt to explain our “one of an eternity” quality with scenes from my favourite musical and Netflix series; and as I draw from my professional music background to illustrate the ineffable.
Media & Resources mentioned in this episode:
- The Greatest Showman and This is Me with Keala Settle
- This is Us TV series and Kevin’s Painting of Life
- Glorious by David Archuleta
Music by: Joel Auge & The Emerson Year.
This episode is also available on YouTube.