The proverb is rather fatalistic. It means that every human being comes into the world with his genetic heritage, which will remain unchanged throughout his life.
However, the proverb does not seem to consider the importance of the environment in which one lives and the conditioning that comes from family and society. Sometimes, a person with a low IQ can excel if he has studied hard or if he has lived in an educated environment. Other times, a person, who is cheerful and extrovert by nature, becomes gloomy and introverted due to the misfortunes that have marked his life.
However, we must make a distinction between ‘essence’ and ‘personality’. Personality is that which appears to the external world and may change, while essence, i.e. the inner nature of a person, is unchangeable and remains unknown to the others. The Buddhists call the essence ‘mind’ while the Christians call it ‘soul’. They are two different terms to name the same thing.
Ettore Grillo, author of these books:
– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily (English edition)
– A Hidden Sicilian History (English edition)
– The Vibrations of Words (English edition)
– Travels of the Mind (English edition)
– Una Storia Siciliana Nascosta (edizione in lingua italiana)
– Viaggi della Mente (edizione in lingua italiana)
Ettore Grillo's Blog 