{KS} Core Values-AR Introduction

Who am I? 

What defines me? 

What are my core values? 

These are the questions we ask of ourselves and of others so that we may better understand ourselves and the world around us. The answers often determine the what and why as we live out our lives. 

I have always had a fairly strong sense of who I am and I find that with each passing year, that sense becomes more refined and clear.

So, what is it that makes me tick, that defines who I am, what I do and why I do it?

1. Learning...I love to learn- I have been known to say that "learning is my crack."  While it is not the most refined of statements, it is the best way I know to describe how much I truly enjoy learning something new, being challenged and growing.  I love that in learning I am consistently humbled and aware of how much I don't know. Simple or complex, learning about people, art, history, ideas, practical or not, learning is truly my drug of choice.

2. Community- It's not about me. I am a part of a community, of many communities. Within that framework, I seek to live out a life of honestly, authenticity and genuineness in such a way that serves the community in which I am a part. I try to be aware of those around me, their feelings and motives and put others at ease. We are all living out the human story and it is as much a communal or shared journey as it is an individual. 

3. Faith- Faith in something greater than myself. Faith in a grace that knows no ends and is plentiful. Faith that gives me meaning to this life.  I believe that we all reflect the God image in us and that in the truest way, hope and love are my purpose. I can't control everything and the freedom that comes from knowing that truth allows me to focus on that which is directly in front of me. 

When it is all boiled down, these 3 values are the core of who I am. Everything I am and do relates back to these things.  My worldview, sense of purpose and desires all circle back learning, community and faith.

And at the end of each day, it is what I find myself reflecting upon.