"Just be yourself mommy" A mantra already drummed into my three year old son. However after reading "The Nature of Selflessness" I questioned "who am I"? He just repeated the mantra our society felt a necessary tool to create individualism amongst the masses of uniform children. At age three the concept of being nothing, and the spiritualism involved in eliminating identity boundaries to free our minds is nothing more then a hip-hop song. He just laughed, and thought me a silly mommy. At three he has already been taught in order to be, you must be something. I tried to eliminate my identities, but I too grew up in the same society that only offers freedom within the same restraints of identity. I began getting down on myself, I could not grasp the concept of selflessness. I needed labels to define myself. I am mother, student, an independent woman, I could not get away from the I, me, or my selfs. I reread the handout again hoping for an epiphany, a shinning light to beam down, and show me the path. I did not receive enlightenment, but I did receive some relief over my ignorance. When I got to "Buddhist concept of self" by Ram Dass, and Paul Gorman I noticed in order for them to explain the buddha concept they too had to use labels. The have you label your mind as the blue sky, and others thoughts as clouds. The main form of expression is words. Words are a series of labels, and identities strung together to form a meaning. I am not the only one unable to contain selflessness within myself anyone who has ever used words to express themselves is in line with me. I don't need to fully grasp the concept. To be aware that this is a path that needs to be explored. To explore it to the best of my abilities this is all I can do. For now until words are replaced I am content in knowing I have not failed I have only grown. An inch maybe, but growth in the right direction no matter how slight is still improvement.