Throughout my life, I’ve found it challenging to encapsulate my identity with a single descriptor. While I’ve worn many hats—tutor, programmer, engineer, architect, farmer—these titles were more circumstantial than intentional. My journey has always been driven by a passion to explore, learn, design, play, tinker, and create. In essence, I’ve sought a life of experiences & meaning.
Rather than being confined to fixed labels, I’ve always gravitated towards roles that best align with the context, my interests and skills. Though titles are necessary in our structured professional world, they limit the fluidity of being.
I view myself as an eternal novice in every endeavor, That helps me keep a beginner’s mind and presence. This perspective inspired my chosen name, “rawjeev”—a play on my birth name that translates to “Raw-Life”.
My philosophy aligns with the sentiments of many inspiring individuals who’ve spoken about self-definition:
“I never wish to be easily defined. I’d rather float over other people’s minds as something strictly fluid and non-perceivable; more like a transparent, paradoxically iridescent creature rather than an actual person”
— Franz Kafka.
“I live on Earth at present, and I don’t know what I am. I know that I am not a category. I am not a thing - a noun. I seem to be a verb, an evolutionary process - an integral function of the universe”
— R. Buckminister Fuller.
“Give up defining yourself - to yourself or to others. You won’t die. You will come to life. And don’t be concerned with how others define you. When they define you, they are limiting themselves, so it’s their problem. Whenever you interact with people, don’t be there primarily as a function or a role, but as the field of conscious presence. You can only loose something that you have, but you cannot loose something that you are.”
— Jim Morrison
While I resist singular labels, it doesn’t imply an absence of identity. Rather, my identity is multifaceted, contextual, and evolving. It resembles a dynamic tag cloud, where various labels ebb and flow in prominence as contexts and experiences shift. At times, certain tags may enlarge, boldened by relevance, while others may diminish, still present but less pronounced.
At this juncture, several tags boldly underscore my identity: Son, Father, House-husband, Gardener, Maker, Teacher, Pupil, Tinkerer, Tribesman, Seeker, Fool. Each of these facets provides a glimpse into my being, highlighting roles and explorations that currently illuminate my journey. They symbolize relationships, passions, and ongoing explorations that collectively weave the intricate tapestry of my life."
— rawjeev