Who you are now is a different person than who you were in the past. The person you will eventually become is different than the person you are today. We carry the same body our entire lives, but at various stages we act differently, present ourselves differently, value and want different things. We are each our own doppelgänger.
How interesting is it to think of yourself like that?
I wish I could take credit for the thought. It’s one of the few pseudo-philosophical moments I appreciate by Josh Radnor’s character Ted on How I Met Your Mother. The 5th season closes with Ted and Robin reminiscing on how much they’ve changed over the last five years. Who they each were five years ago are just images of who they are now, preserved only through memories. They look the same, but they’re totally different people. They are their own doppelgängers.
We change a lot from year to year. Particularly if, like me, you’re going through that terrifying stage of emerging adulthood. It’s really interesting to think about how much we change. Coming out of college, for instance, I was some pompous kid hellbent on being successful, rich, and well-liked in whatever community I would become a part of.
About two-and-a-half years later, those things still sound nice, but I’m really focused on becoming the best [whatever] I can be – writer, digital marketer, husband, mobile trend analyst, etc. I act differently, I want different things, and I make choices for different reasons. I’m a different person than who I was back then.
A few more years down the road, my focus and behaviors will have changed again. Maybe I’ll intentionally put more efforts into social relationships. Maybe I’ll have achieved something. Maybe I’ll be a father. Maybe I’ll be in a different role. Maybe I’ll be doing the same things, but be several years wiser about them. Whatever happens, who I am today – who we each are today, will just be images, doppelgängers, of who we’ll be then.
It’s very interesting to think about our lives like this! The question that follows is: What do you want to become? Do you want to grow in your faith? Have a more prestigious career? Become more courageous? Develop your leadership abilities? Who do you want your doppelgänger to be? And what are you doing to get there?
