I did a little pseudo research out of curiosity. When, actually, did smart phones offer the selfie feature? In 2003, both Sony and Motorola launched front facing cameras. In 2010, Apple introduced the iPhone 4 and according to Google Trends, it was 2012 before the term “selfie” took off. A year later, “selfie” was added to the Oxford Dictionary. 

My 92 year old mother knows what a selfie is and has posed for a number of them. It’s all in good fun and it is a time shared with people she knows and loves. 

No, selfies are not a bad thing until our entire lives become a selfie. I know, I know, this isn’t a news flash to anyone. We’ve watched and heard and even read it before. Blah, blah, blah.

What concerns and troubles me is the addictive nature of selfies and what that can do to our real sense of self. Who am I? Who are you? Who and what determines the definition of who I am? Maybe who doesn’t define me at all. Maybe it's what defines me. 

My faith base determines who defines me. God created me, he knows me and he defines me. I am given the reins of my life to decide if I will believe God or if I want to determine who I am on my own terms. This is where it gets tricky, sticky and interesting. 

I can saturate my mind in cultural garble that is never silenced. Break that down into subcultures and now the voices intensify. Jump on the social media train and it’s like I’m traveling the world. Language, engaging or hostile, accusing or empathetic. No subgroup is the same and is not predictable. I can find myself running in circles, frantically looking for the voice that can tell me who I am. 

I’ve been on the crazy train, I’ve looked for the acceptance and approval of cultural subgroups. It left me wounded, scared and feeling really alone. 

I still have the reins, so I changed my course and headed home. Home to my Creator who loves me and knows who I am. I made the choice to believe him, looked up and asked if we could do a selfie. It’s okay because He knows who I am.

Who are you? Who and what defines you? Is the definition of who you are imposed by others or by you? 

Becky on: Feb 17th, 2023 04:45pm

Very good questions to reflect on. Who am I? A child of God, created in His image…that’s the best selfie ever!!

Becky on: Feb 17th, 2023 04:45pm

Very good questions to reflect on. Who am I? A child of God, created in His image…that’s the best selfie ever!!