Why not know thyself?

II confess that I go places in hope of finding certain types of people. We can all relate to the concept of seeking certain environments in the hope of finding situations conducive to our own growth and comfort. Analysis of such quests has often been used in our attempt to establish the identity of others; if a person hangs around folk who like art we equate a love of art with that person's identity. Now if we try to apply this analysis to ourselves we may discover that we don't often find what we are truly seeking.
Much of the time what we are searching for is an outward expression of self. While we may find dim reflections of what we seek expressed in others, often we leave with a feeling of disappointed. How rare it is, to find someone looking for the same thing. And when we do, what Joy! If we only expand our awareness and search out the truth of our choices and desires we should become better acquainted not only with how others perceive us, but also with our true identity. (Joseph Gutschmidt)