Compartmentalizing people based on their upbringing, origin, race, community, and countless other labels feels never-ending. I recently came across an interesting question where a podcaster asked someone to describe themselves without mentioning their profession, where they come from, or any of the usual identifiers.

It made me wonder — how would we describe ourselves then?

I think I would introduce myself as a curious, brainy soul on a journey between birth and death. But beyond that, I realize there’s a kind of wordlessness. Our vocabulary suddenly feels too small to hold our entire identity.

So it makes me question: Are we left without an identity when we strip away profession, appearance, and nationality? Or have we simply forgotten the deeper ways to see ourselves?