Where is I?

Since childhood I was curious about existence. Who am I?

 I remember as a child, probably when I was 9/10 year old I used to ask other friends, “Who are you? “The friends used to say “I am X, Y or Z”. My second question used to be “where are you?” The friends’ usual answer was “I am here.”  I used to ask “how do you know you are here?” Either amused or irritated the friends’ reply used to be “Cann’t you see? Here I am” pointing a finger at some part of their body, usually chest. My counter used to be “That is your chest. Where are you?” If the friend used to show me any other part my question used to be again “You are showing your --- body part. Where are you? It used to end in a irritated response from my friends like “Ok, ok do not try to be smart” or “ Ok, we know you ask smart questions”  and so on.

Invariably there was no answer. I did not have an answer nor them. I used to ask this question to myself. This is my hand; this is my leg, my face and so on.  Everything about my body is MY. Where is that I. Who says “I am Vijaya.” 

When I grew a little older my question’s periphery expanded to my mind, my thoughts, my intellect, my personality and so on. But all still ‘MY’.  Where is that I?

Then I came to know about death, When something leaves the body a person becomes a dead body. That is that I, the soul. I read; You are a soul inhabiting this body. Once the soul leaves, your body becomes dead body.  My knowledge sphere expanded but my question remained. When MY soul leaves MY body, My body will become dead body.

When somebody dies, they do not speak, do not think, do not move, do not show emotion, do not recognize. Does that mean my mind is my soul? But still it is MY. When I say ‘My soul ‘where is that I?

After so many years also I am not sure what the answer is. Where is I. Who am I? Who says “I am Vijaya.”

Do you know?.......