Daily Devotional - Jan 5

"By one's ideas

not their birth

are they a Brahmin." 

Uttaradhyayana Sutra 25.3 | Jainism

Or, in other words,

"It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow up to be!" 

&

"It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

Dumbledore / J.K. Rowling | Harry Potter

(hopefully this isn't offensive to anyone)

No but seriously. Brahmin is the highest social caste in Hindu society. I like this verse because it teaches that what truly matters is what's on the inside, not outside, and that we have control over who we truly are. We're not born into anything, We have the power within us to rise above.

It also teaches that we should treat people with honor for their ideas, not their social status or birth. Obviously we should respect all people with basic human dignity, but honor and admiration should be reserved for those who have truly earned it through their ideas and through living those ideas out.

Do you live in such a way so as to bring respect to the name you bear and the family you were born into?

I would hope so! I'm the oldest of a big family, and I would hope I can say I've set a good example and pattern for my siblings to follow. 

Is your life a reflection of where you were born or what you believe?

Most likely a combination of the two... I'm from Seattle, and I think that's had a pretty big impact on me, and I can't deny that being born middle-class American has had an influence on my life. That being said, I would like to think that my beliefs have a greater influence over my daily choices than my circumstances of birth. Though, of course, when & where I was born has certainly shaped my beliefs. 

Have you made your own way in the world, or have you chosen to ride upon the coattails of your parents or others?

I think it would be ignorant of me to ignore the enormous amount of privilege I've been given in this life or to pretend that I've made it to where I am completely on my own. I owe so much of who I am to my parents and the way I was raised. I wouldn't call that "riding upon the coattails" of my parents, though. And I certainly make some choices that they wouldn't, if they were in my situation, and I accept full responsibility for who I am and the choices I make.  I can't ignore my connections to others in this journey, however, and the way we all lift and influence each other in this life.