Much of our identity comes from our genes; biological plans that help decide how our bodies develop and grow. Our genes are so compact that 4,000 complete sets of them would take up no more room than a grain of salt. Yet each complete set contains enough data to fill a CD. Human genes vary greatly in size but a typical gene is about 1/1000 of a millimeter. That is very small!
I can barely wrap my head around the complexity and beauty of that information.
I am number five of six children, three boys and three girls. Three of us were brunettes with brown eyes. Two were blond with brown eyes. And one was a sandy blond with blue eyes. Both of our parents had dark hair and dark eyes. We, of course, always joked that the sandy, blue-eyed blond, my older sister, was ‘the mailman’s’.
It is easy to think of “how we come out” as throwing a bunch of stuff into a blender and voilà, you have a little human. There is a bit of truth to that, but it all comes from somewhere. There is science behind it. It is traceable. Of that, we are certain.
My paternal grandmother was small and dainty. She was a blue-eyed blond. My maternal grandmother had very dark hair. She had a bloodline of Cherokee Indian.
I find it totally fascinating that not only our appearance comes from our genes, but also, to a degree, our personalities.
We have all heard parents of toddlers say things like: “She gets her looks from her mother but her temper from her dad.” Again, there is a bit of truth there.
I have an ongoing discussion with one of my sons about the subject “Are we born with it or does it develop?” I believe it is both.
Several years ago I read a story about twins adopted at birth by separate families. As adults they found each other and developed a relationship. It was discovered that they had identical quirks, gestures, body language. Things that make you say “Hmmm….” (thank you Arsenio Hall.)
Though my sisters and I have our unique personalities, we have many similarities. Our voices sound the same. We often verbally respond with the same words and same tones. We share similar tastes in house decor and food and clothing. One summer, my sister and I showed up at a swimming event in matching swimsuits, at the time we were living in different cities. Fluke? I don’t think so.
When it comes to weight, genes also play a role. I am grateful that my parents were naturally slim and fit. They were hard workers and always active. We ate well, too. Wealth was not a part of our family so we never had ‘extras’ in the house, like chips or store-bought cookies or soda. We had simple, home-cooked dinners of meat, potatoes, other vegetables and usually, jello or pudding for dessert, enough for each of us to enjoy one small bowl.
Obviously, weight is also environmental. We learn to eat certain ways and do it for many of our growing up years. It becomes habit, natural, a routine.
However, that is not a life sentence. Genetics contribute to about 25% of our weight. That leaves a whopping 75% of which we have control.
It is difficult to take responsibility for that control. It is so much easier to fully blame our genes or our upbringing or the stress of our jobs or the midnight cravings of dark chocolate double peanut-butter cup crunch ice-cream.
I totally get it.
But we also need to focus on the genetics that we actually like and appreciate; the golden tint in our eye color, the shape of our nose, the size of our feet, the lobes of our ears, the moral heritage, the laughter that sounds just like Uncle Frank, the lightness in spirit of Aunt Gertrude.
For example, I am able to say: “Thank you Grandma Hall, for my strong (though veiny) hands. They have worked and served and held and loved and prayed, just like yours did. And I am grateful for them.”