Nature vs. Nurture

As we undergo the adoption process, a lot of questions and thoughts about my own adoption come to mind. A few years ago, I tried doing a search on my birthparents, mainly to find out my medical history, and I was told that a "no contact" clause was on my file. Door closed. Because I was adopted in the 70s, it wasn't as open as the process is today. I look at my brother's children (in the photo above) and they are truly a miniature version of my brother and his wife. I see their expressions and dispositions so vividly apparent in their children. I often wonder if there are people out there who look like me or have some of my deeply ingrained traits? Which traits are uniquely our own?  I have always been curious about the nature vs. nurture question. What qualities are we born with and which ones are learned from our environment? As dear friends of mine prepare to undergo the process of selecting a sperm donor, it's interesting to see what qualities they look in their search; which traits they believe will be genetically passed onto their future children.
Here's the information that I was given when I was born:

Mother: 20. French Scottish. Pretty. 5'4", 125 pounds. Brown hair, green eyes, medium complexion. Quiet. Thoughtful. Bright. Charming. Interested in tennis, swimming, skiing, skating, music and reading.

Father: 21. English Scottish. 6' medium build. Curly red hair, blue eyes, fair freckled complexion. Outgoing. Likeable. Extremely athletic - plays hockey, basketball, football. University student.

Pretty bare bones, but I can definitely see a few pieces of me in there. Green eyes, fair skin, reddish hair, quiet, thoughtful, and really charming (kidding, but that one makes me smile.) I definitely feel most alive when I'm active. Is that ingrained in me from my birth father's athleticism? But then there are qualities like my sense of humour, love of animals, compassion for others that are truly inherited from my environment. I know these are qualities I learned from my parents' actions. And then there is my love of dance, photography and writing that I believe are uniquely my own.  I love it when people tell me that I remind them of my mom or dad, because it reiterates that you don't have to be born into a family to fit into it.

Which qualities do you believe are genetic? In no way am I an expert. In my humble opinion, I think that physical appearance and medical history can be genetic (both biological and psychological), but after that, all bets are off. So often you see two children born into the same family who have completely different personalities, drive and intellect from one another. I know friends who are so successful and driven who grew up in horrible deadbeat households, and some who grew up in amazing households but struggle to find their footing in life. How do our environments shape us? What qualities are inherited from the friends we choose in our lives?

What traits in you are genetic and what have you learned along the way?

xo