I AM, Socrates
“
Who are you?” I heard answers such as, “I am a
shepherd” or “I am a potter.” I do not mean
what do you do but “Who are you?” One man responded
that he was a spirit. I asked him what he meant by that. He
did not know. Another said he was only his body which disintegrated
at death. I asked him how he knew that. He could not tell me.
Most people I ask the question to just walk away. They apparently
do not like that question, it seems to upset their equilibrium.
It upsets mine some, too. (Page 3)
I AM, Augustine
It seems to me that I am on a journey, a journey of struggle
to find my place in life. Shall I just have faith that life
is its own place and contained within itself is its own purpose
and direction? I seek solace from this struggle and feel
relief when I accept my limitations and place my life into
the hands of the life movement itself. (Page 7)
I AM, Schopenhauer
The answer is not so difficult. I only need ask myself what
is it I must do to find the answer. I must engage my will.
Without first a willingness to do something, to move or think
for example, nothing happens. The reason why this inquiry
into the question “Who am I?” is occurring is
because of will. Take that will away and there isn’t
any inquiry or process in motion at all. Take away will and
there isn’t any life. Is not life but an enactment
of the will to live? (Page 17)
I AM, Thoreau
In my center of solitude I experience myself alone, completely
alone. From this true aloneness, and only from it, may I
reach out and extend my hand to another whereupon if he,
too, extends his hand, we may touch and join together in
our own solitude. I only touch upon that purity. I need not
hold malice towards any man, and will not receive malice
from another man. (Page 21)
I AM, Martin Buber
Let us include this other in our conception of ourselves. Let
us know that although we are an individuality so, too, are
we a connection. If we do not know our touch with that other,
we do not know it with ourselves. If we do not know the touch
of our existence relationship, what do we or what can we
possibly know? I hold my being in the relationship of myself
and the other for I, am relationship. (Page 29)
