souls

there's this myth we expel a little of our soul as we breathe. so the people we spend the most of our time around slowly exchange more and more of their soul with ours.

there's proof, too. it's in out transferred mannerisms, inside jokes, subtle preferences, opinions that are shaped by conversations. how we go about our day, like who we want to talk to first thing in the morning, if we clean our desks all at once or over time, how we view others and their hobbies. everything we know is a reflection of our memories and experiences and the people around us.

i believe i'm the person i am today because of everyone around me, and their soul. my parents, friends, even fictional characters. cheesy? perhaps. true? yes. we're influenced by art and social expectations and ideas and ambition.

but, most importantly, we become who we are because of the people around us.

and my soul is only mine as much as it is theirs.