I am onion

1-6-23

These days, thoughts keep arising in my mind again. I often listen to Maharshi Raman on YouTube, sometimes to Jiddu Krishnamurti, and other similar talks in between. And when I listen to them, thoughts begin to form — that is, contemplation and reflection start in my mind.

For example, I am not really “I.” It’s like an onion — layers upon layers covering me.

One layer is that I was born in India, so I am this way.

The second layer — I was born into a Punjabi Hindu family, so I am this way.

The third — I was born into the Sachdeva family, so I am this way.

The fourth — the Sachdeva family had to move here during the Partition of the country, so I am this way.

The fifth — I studied in a Hindi-medium government school, so I am this way.

The sixth — I got married at the age of 19, so I am this way.

The seventh — I married into the Chandna family, so I am this way.

The eighth — I gave birth to four children in quick succession, so I am this way.

The ninth — I never did a job; I have been a housewife, so I am this way.

The tenth — I live in my own house in Dehradun, not in a rented one, so I am this way.

These are the clearly visible layers. But in reality, there are countless others that have made me who I am. Then who is the real me? If all these layers were to change, I too would change. And this is true for everyone — every human being is the way they are because they were born and raised in a particular environment at a particular time.