Nice to meet you!
Love your thoughts on identity, and the things we hold onto as "self." If it's not ideas, beliefs, membership in groups, or even the physical particles that make up our being, then what?
I've recently bumped into the idea of "essence," that being the unchanging piece of a human or any living system. This isn't something you can measure or point to, and it's not the sum of the other pieces. In fact, it's probably best defined as precisely that which cannot be taken away without changing who you are.
Essence manifests as our core values and abilities. Not skills which can be learned and lost, but the underlying capability that supports those skills. We can express it in how we dress, what we create, and who we choose to befriend.
It can be hard to see, with so many labels and categories claiming to represent ourselves and others. But sometimes, we get a little peek, a little feeling, a revelation about the others we are surrounded by. Reading your post was just that—thanks!
Thank you @scottyeager ...Those are some thoughts to chew on to..
I see you're a deep thinker too.
I've followed you. Checked out your profile and it was empty...
Do post something thought provoking pretty soon :)
Will do :) Thanks!