Past, Present, Future

Building My Foundation
Honor your father and your mother
(Exodus 20:2-17).
Growing up in a Christian family, I learned to
abide by The Ten Commandments. The fifth
Commandment, as stated above, played a
key role in the development of my identity as
a child. My parents guidance shaped who I
was, and who I am today. The picture to my
left was taken at my graduation from Adobe
Christian Preschool. Growing up, religion
played a significant role in developing my
identity and constructing my view of the world
and my role in it. Our smiles and the glow on
our faces represent the stereotypical picture
of the Christian family. My mom embraces me
in her arms, pulling me closer, bringing us
together as one being, as God draws me to
him for a relationship. I was raised not only
under my parents roof, but the roof of God.
This roof acted as my shelter and my home.
Therefore, I rarely branched out, or did things
that would not be approved by my parents.
Furthermore, my decisions were influenced
by the beliefs that stood strong under these
roofs. At this phase in my life, the past, my
identity was determined by those above me.

Spreading My Wings
A girl should be two things: who and what
she wants (Coco Chanel, The Gospel
According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons
From the Worlds Most Elegant Woman).
As I have grown older, I have matured into a
young woman, not the child I once was. While
I am still under my parents roof, and cling to
the values they instilled in me, I'm much more
independent, capable of drawing upon my
parents teachings to formulate my own
conclusions and actions. For example, as a
young child, I regularly attended Sunday
school on the wishes of my parents. Now, as
a teenager, I participate in a Sunday school of
sorts a high school youth group- but this
church activity is of my choice. The photo at
the right is from a mission trip I attended with
the youth group, and exemplifies the break
from my dependence upon my parents and
transition to developing my own relationships
and participation in activities completely
separate from them. This photo also shows
the close bonds I have formed as an
individual outside of my immediate familial
circle. My friends and I are embracing one
another, bringing back the theme of being
one, but representing instead me being one
with myself and my friends, rather than being
one with my parents. At this phase in my life,
the present, my identity is determined by me.

Learning to Fly
We know what we are, but not what we may
be William Shakespeare.
As I grow older, the tables will turn, and I will
have a family of my own. The picture of my
mom sitting on my grandmothers lap is an
analogy of what I will someday become. First
it was my mom who went through this cycle of
life, and one day it will be me coming into my
future identity. Someday I will embrace a child
of my own like my grandmother holds my
mother in the picture. Except instead of
becoming one with my parents, or one with
my friends, I will become one with my own
child. With the values my parents instilled in
me, and the wisdom I will gain from my
journey, I will be able to make decisions and
form a roof for my future family. I have been
raised on the foundation of religion, and
intend to pass this knowledge down to my
future children, insuring that they will not only
be raised under my roof, but also the roof of
God. Under these roofs, they will gain values
and beliefs to one day pass on to a family of
there own, continuing the circle of life. At this
phase in my life, the future, I will be carrying
forward my beliefs and values to develop the
future generations of my family.