Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Discovering Your Origins
Ever wonder how the tapestry of your past weaves into the person you are today? I was recently invited to reflect on my family of origin and how my background has shaped me into who I am today. I wrote down my parent’s and siblings’ names, birthdates and for some, death dates, for each person of our 7-member tribe. I wrote about the atmosphere I grew up in, significant events, and the impact they had for me. Around the same time, I listened to an episode of the Bible in a Year Podcast in which once again the Israelites were going from one place to another and long paragraphs of the names and numbers of those who went were listed. I couldn’t help but wonder at the timing. See, I often gloss over those lists of impossible names in the Bible, but this time I didn’t. It seemed like God was reminding me that these were real people who lived real lives, just as my own life has been so heavily influenced by real people living real lives.
This week comes with a lot of celebrations, more than just Halloween! We also celebrate All Saints Day, All Souls Day, and Dia de los Muertos. I didn’t grow up with the tradition of Dia de los Muertos, but I love it. I love the act of honoring our loved ones who have passed on by remembering and celebrating their lives.
Because in remembering the people who’ve touched our lives, in some way we understand who and where we came from. In short, we better understand ourselves.
That isn’t to say your past is your future, not at all. I recognize that for some people reflecting on your past may not be a happy prospect. But I am saying that every thing and every person in your life has been part of bringing you to this moment. Have you ever dedicated time to think about that? To journal about that? It doesn’t have to be all at once. It’s not like today is Reflection Day! No, it can be half an hour here and there, each dedicated to a certain aspect of our lives.
Maybe it will be a happy experience, maybe it won’t. I know I’ve shed some tears, both joyful and sad. Here are some prompts to get you started:
What are your parent’s full names, birthdates and birth places? What about your siblings?
Write your own full name, birthplace and birthdate. Were there any important medical details about your birth?
Where did you live as a child? Write down the cities and addresses where you lived, especially as a young child.
List some of your characteristics that were chosen for you, before you had a choice.
From there you can continue on with thinking about characteristics you like about yourself, and maybe those you’d like to change.
You may be wondering, no really, why bother with all this? Because understanding your origins can offer deeper self-comprehension. And as the psalmist says, “I praise God because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Ps 139: 14)