We all have those moments. Those moments of reflection. The ones where time kind of stops and you ask yourself about yourself. In school and even in work there are progress reports. But how do you report the progress in your life? You are smarter, but are you wiser? You still make mistakes, so are you growing? Learning? Are you happier? Are you on the right path to become happier? Where do you see yourself in five years? In this case...how do you see yourself many years ago?

I was blessed and most of all privileged. I went through my childhood knowing this. I had little struggle and no emotional or psychological problems like most have. I was a loner at home, and a social butterfly at school. But...even then I would have the big question that I ask myself now. Am I a genuine person? What does it even mean to be genuine? Nice? True? Honest? Yes.

It means being yourself and staying true to your morals. But what if I change? What if I'm not keeping up with myself and assume I am not a genuine person because I am growing up? Meeting new people? Experiencing new things that affect my personality and my perception of the world. Empathy. Betrayal. Support. Trust. Trusting myself.

One thing I know for sure is that I enjoy math. And in math there are these things call constants. Parts of equations that never change. That are universal. Genuine. And so to address the question before I need a constant. And that constant is in the people I have helped, touched, and support in my life. I have proof, living testaments to my benevolence and kindness. I have proof, that I can be strong and strive for happiness as well as help others do the same. And it is those people who can look me dead in the eye and say "Yes, you are a genuine person."

And it isn't that I don't trust myself. I simply just need that confirmation, that acknowledgement. I strongly believe in helping yourself before helping others. However, sometimes you need others to help you. So I help and aid, not for security. I help because it is something I know that is inside me. And that is a constant. That is what it means to be a genuine person.

Art by the inspirational Rama el Ligre