Update to a Previous post - Am I a Joiner?

In November of 2007, I created a post titled "Not a Joiner."

I read through it today and realized that a lot of those opinions have changed.

I said then, "I love Jesus...but in general, you don't see me wearing a cross around my neck or wearing a Christian t-shirt."

Now, I would say I love the literary idea of a man who sacrifices himself for the sake of the world, but I am no longer as sure about the Christian faith.
Oddly enough though, I want to invest in a necklace with an Om pendant so that I can wear it with my cross and symbolize my ambiguous faith (for the world to see).

I said then, "I want Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States of America. But it was a struggle for me to add the Election '08 application to my Facebook. You probably won't see me wearing Obama For America t-shirts. I won't buy a bumper sticker."
But not only did I add the application, but I added more and more things that said I supported him. I have one t-shirt and wished for more (I wonder if I can still get them). I had a bumper sticker on my car before I totaled it.

I said then, "I have to lay my pride down every time I put on Alpha Chi Omega letters even though I adore my sisters and everything that our fraternity stands for."
But now, I love wearing letters and am sad for the days when I'll have to be neutral during recruitment and can't wear them.

I said then, "I have to find a way to support the things I approve of without losing my identity in them."

And I think the reason all of this has changed is because I now realize that advertising something isn't losing your identity to it (unless your identity is inherently weak). In fact, now I understand and utilize the concept that you are what you wear. I still don't wear labels - brand labels - very often, unless I really know that I would vouch for the company. But sorority letters, organizational t-shirts, promotional t-shirts, religious symbols: I'm all for them as long as they line up with my beliefs.

Maybe this was just part of growing up.