Too Many Versions of Me

Sometimes I look at old photos, old drawings, or even old notebooks and think:
"Was that really me?"
The answer is yes.

But it was a different version of me.
People often think that a person stays the same, but I don't think that's true. I think we keep changing. Every year, every experience, every challenge, and every new interest adds another shade to who we are.
When I was very young, one of my favorite things was painting.
I didn't even realize it was something special. I was just drawing because I enjoyed it. My mother was the one who noticed that I spent a lot of time making pictures and trying different ideas.
She told me that if I enjoyed painting so much, I should learn it properly.
So I started watching videos, practicing on my own, learning from professionals, and trying to improve little by little.

Over the years, our house became filled with my paintings. One day my mother jokingly said, "Treat your school like your home too."So I started taking my paintings to school.Now, I think there are more of my paintings in school than in my own house.That is one version of me.Another version appeared because I was always good at sports.My mother thought sports were important too, so she encouraged me to try martial arts.To be honest, I never understood why people treat self-defense as something extra.The strongest people are not the ones looking for fights.The strongest people are usually the ones trying to avoid them.I don't like fighting or arguments. They make me uncomfortable.
If a problem can be solved peacefully, I think that is always the better option.Then there was the version of me who loved running.Before asthma became a challenge, I enjoyed running a lot. Running eventually led me to football.

Football felt different .I enjoyed being part of a team. I enjoyed the energy, the strategy, and the excitement of the game. And if I had to choose my favorite position, it would probably be goalkeeping. I like the responsibility that comes with it. Maybe that says something about me. I have always been curious about things. Sometimes that curiosity leads me to books. Sometimes it leads me to science. Sometimes it leads me to writing.

Sometimes it leads me to learning things that people don't expect a kid my age to be interested in. I wrote books because I enjoy exploring ideas and sharing what I learn. The books came later. The curiosity came first. Another version of me cares a lot about rules. Not because I enjoy telling people what to do. I just feel more comfortable when things are organized. Whether it is a school, a shopping mall, or a home, I think rules exist for a reason. I believe people should respect their teachers, listen to their elders, and follow the basic rules of the places they are in. When things become too messy, too disorganized, or too chaotic, I start feeling uneasy. Maybe that is why I like clean spaces and organized surroundings. I am also an only child. Because of that, I have noticed something interesting about myself. At first, I enjoy noise, excitement, and busy gatherings. But after some time, I start wanting a quiet corner of my own.

A little space where I can think. A little space where I can breathe. A little space where I can just be myself. There is one more version of me that I hope never changes. I don't like it when people make fun of others because of their weight, their appearance, their skin color, the way they speak, or their accent. Everyone is carrying struggles that we cannot see. A little kindness costs nothing.8 But it can mean everything to someone else. So who is the real me? The painter? The football player? The martial artist? The writer? The student? The dreamer? I don't think there is only one answer. Maybe all of them are me. Maybe none of us are just one thing. Maybe we are all collections of different versions, different lessons, and different experiences. And maybe growing up is not about choosing one version and throwing the rest away. Maybe growing up is learning how all those versions fit together. That is why I called this blog "Too Many Versions of Me. "Not because I have become many different people. But because every stage of my life has added another shade to the person I am still becoming.