About Me
You've likely heard of the concept of "Nature versus Nurture" which believes that "nature" (genetic inheritance/heredity), & "nurture" (environmental conditions of development) decide who a person grows up to be. While I believe that those two things can play a part, I believe there's a third concept that doesn't get discussed as much . . . "innatism," which means that the mind is born with already-formed ideas, knowledge, & beliefs. I mention innatism, because I’ve always had some very unconventional perspectives in my life that came neither from my parents, nor the environment in which I was raised, but rather something that had always been inside of me, as if I were born with it.
For instance, I’ve always had a desire to experience as many things in life as possible. At 5 years old, I was frustrated that I couldn't be a Teacher, Nurse, Firefighter AND Doctor all at the same time. My mother informed me that acting was a career where I could be all of those & more . . . so I was hooked! I'm truly curious to know, not just hear, what it feels like to experience things, whether it's bungee jumping (exhilarating, but I won't ever do it again), or being in a pie fight (SO much fun!). In that same sense, I'm not afraid of the unknown. I've moved to cities that I'd never been to before, sometimes even without having a job lined up, & will likely do it again in my lifetime​
In school, I always felt different from my peers. Rather than focusing on who was "most popular," "the prettiest," or "had the coolest car," I was more focused on figuring out who I was as a person. The how & why people do or say the things they do fascinated me even then, which means that I felt like a 30-year-old trapped in a 15-year-old's body, so it wasn't surprising that my peers didn't feel comfortable around me, either.
And, I've ALWAYS been fascinated by travel, languages, & accents, which is something nobody else in my family (direct or extended) seems interested in. When I travel, I want to make sure I know enough to get by in the language, because I feel it's a sign of respect for the country I'm traveling to & the people who live there. Unfortunately (or not), I know enough in about 6 different languages (so far) to get into "trouble," because my accents are so spot-on that folks think I'm a native & then start chatting more in the language, until I correct them on how little I actually know. But each new trip to a different country is a chance for me to learn a new language.
Another way that innatism comes into play with me is that - while I've had some rather "horrible" experiences as a child - I'm not overly cynical, or angry at the world or the people who've "wronged" me throughout my life. I forgive fairly quickly, believing that every experience is just that, & not necessarily "good" or "bad." And I don't find death or cemeteries scary. In fact, cemeteries are one of my favorite subjects to photograph. I find them peaceful, & I love seeing how people choose to mark their existence on this planet.
So, while there are many aspects of myself that can be attributed to my heredity (nature), or environment (nurture), many of my unconventional perspectives can't be described as anything but "innate," which is cool with me.