Philosophy? Why are we who we are?

I'm sitting in my living room listening to instrumental Christmas music, the saxophone, and wondering if I have chosen to really enjoy it because of a comment I remember my Mother making, or because I naturally am drawn to it? You have heard the phrase, "Children are like sponges." haven't you? They truly are. That is part of why we are who we are today. I believe that we tend to own the things we hear important people say in our childhood. By important people I mean, Mothers, Fathers, Teachers, Idles, Friends' cool Moms. (Mostly parents.) Let me explain. My mom made a comment when I was younger " I wish I could be a size ten again." So the size 10 became my limit. Anything more than that became unwelcomed in my body. Sometimes, I wish she had said a size 7.
I,m also talking about early childhood. Before the age of six, parents are IT! After that, we somehow become lame, uneducated, embarrassing........need I go on? I haven't directly experienced it on this side , but I do remember my feelings towards my parent as a youth. I think I could write a book with all the thoughts piled high in my head, but I'll try to wait until I have experienced all the seasons of child rearing, and a little more education! Our personal claim is a choice that is formed through all the things we encounter in our lives. I believe we make our choices based on feelings and beliefs. We choose to live a certain way, dress a certain way, talk a certain way. We choose the things we like.....music, art, food. To an extent, we choose the things we feel. We also make unconscious choices.(Like the size ten, quickly became a conscious decision.) I could go on and on, but I won't. My point is, in part, we are all the people we have chosen to be. Or did our parents choose who we are, and what our choices would be? The other part is what God gave us. We are all made up of parts. Are you proud of who you are? Not your image, which I believe we all have, but who you truly are in your heart. Are you proud of your secrets? Do you really like the music you like or was that chosen for you? Just a thought. Make any sense?