Defining Myself

How do we define ourselves? For most people, it's by their job or hobbies; people define themselves by what they do. I used to be an HRIS Supervisor, a Payroll Analyst, a Vet Receptionist (my favourite). I used to be an artist, I painted, and I crafted. I volunteered. I did things.

How do I define myself now that I can no longer do those things? Myalgic Encephalomyelitis has taken a lot from me. I feel like a ghost because I talk about so many things in the past tense. I used to work. I used to be able to cook and bake. I used to be able to paint, use polymer clay, and sew. I used to have a full life.

I'm still figuring out how to define myself in my current state. Simple things like showering use up all of my energy for the day, so I can no longer define myself by what I do. I guess it's lucky that I don't have a social life because the first topic of small talk is inevitably, "What do you do?" It would be nice if society could shift towards focusing on joy instead of doing. Ask me my favourite movie or meal, or my favourite dinosaur or decade.

I'm Kary. My favourite movie is Star Wars, my favourite TV show is Bob's Burgers, and my favourite book is Crime and Punishment. My favourite foods are waffles, pasta, popcorn, and cake (but not together.) My favourite dinosaurs are the brachiosaurus and triceratops. I'm not a ghost yet, but sometimes I feel like one.