Understanding How You Became Who You Are
A recent replay of the National Public Radio program, On Being, has this extraordinary interview of Kevin King.
King was born with one disabled arm. A motorcycle accident paralyzed the other arm. He went on to overcome this childhood trauma and become one of the greatest contemporary storytellers in America, using the power of rhetoric and words to inspire so many folks.
An important part of his journey was re-visiting his childhood and finding the pieces that fit the person he became.
There were his grandparents who were at a time in life when they were “heading to the Creator” while he was “coming from the Creator.” They all lived in the same light — “he in the dawn, they in the twilight.”
This journey back to childhood required that he embrace people he used to run from. Try and understand the choices they made that he did not understand. Re-connect in a different place.
When we pursue self-realization and healing from childhood trauma, the focus tends to be on the negative and painful experiences. But, if we survive it, if we find joy or peace or some measure of the life well lived, there have to be good reasons.
It’s like the song from the Sound of Music:
