Who am I?

Now I could get all metaphysical on you and try to explain theoretically who I am, but let's face it, you'd be bored to sleep after the first sentence, and think me a kook that anyone would even read something so ridiculous. But hey, you're reading this, so there is that, and I don't want to bore you to tears. But I thought that if we're going to spend some time together, you'd probably like to know who I am.

Umm.... Yeah about that, what would you like to know?

Let's see, I could tell you about how I grew up as a kid in South Africa, and at the tender age of 18 my life turned upside down when my folds and I decided to move to the US, so that I could have a better future. Which by he way did come true, as the opportunities I've had here in the US have been so numerous I'd envy me if I was still stuck back in South Africa. Or I could tell you how for the last 18 years of my life I've been pursuing higher education, obtaining a string of degrees I can write behind my name, the latest one being a PhD in Applied Physiology, which means I pretty much know exactly how your body works, but am not allowed to write you a prescription since I'm not a MD. What is that degree good for? Well let's see, since no-one really knows what an applied physiologist is, very little. So now I work as a teacher in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech. I could spout off all the things that a scientist or engineer should say about the profession, about helping mankind, but let's face it sometimes mankind doesn't want to be helped.

Now, all of those things are good and true, but my history, degrees, family, friends, does not define who I am. What defines me is what is my purpose in life? What did the Lord Jesus put me here on this earth to accomplish? A good question, and one I've struggled with for years, and one I still continue to ask myself. There is the good Sunday school answer of course.... I'm here to glorify God. And although that is true and I believe it, what does that mean in practice. Up until a year ago I would have been able to tell you clearly what that was, working and teaching as a professor so that the younger generations can change the world.

But, this eyar I had a great loss that made me re-evaluate my purpose here.

Next time... a great loss