Tautology – A Poem by Rowe Williams

A friend of mine believes 
suffering tells us 
who we truly are. 

I think that's only partly true. 
We were not made solely for suffering. 

Only the entirety of a life 
can determine who we are. 

What we actually experience 
and actually do 
is the only way to know. 

If we suffer, 
we will know ourselves 
through suffering. 

If we rejoice, 
joy will teach us 
who we are. 

Descartes said, 
"I think, therefore I am." 

I say, 
"I am, therefore I am."