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Hurricane Harvey and now Irma, from Trump’s tweets to catalysts of a potential world war. Internal governmental strife and then unfortunate turnover of racism that brings back some of the worst out of mankind—it is bloody hard to be away from my family and friends in America.
taking you back to high school days…
I was a floater back in school. One that didn’t necessarily belong to a group of friends really and I just stuck around who enthused me that day or week. I wasn’t the kid that would go to the parties after school or necessarily have the time really to go to sleepovers {because my parents liked to keep my time productive and busy, you see the implications today…}.
It wasn’t until graduation practice right before the actual day that I sat there on the stage of the auditorium waiting my turn to receive my diploma. Walk up in 4 steps, shake hand with the right with one person, the other, then the principal whilst receiving the diploma in hand and then walk back around to my seat. In practice and then on the actual day of graduation, people cheered and smiled and made eye contact as I moved back. The principal was once a tutor, but that handshake symbolized him becoming a friend.
fast forward to college graduation day
I was once again one of the last people called and walking past my fellow classmates, after receiving my envelope that will soon hold a Bachelors degree, hands held out for high fives and sweet goodbye hand embraces. People approached me after the ceremony and wanted to meet my parents and professors wanted to fill my parents egos with ‘how wonderful their daughter had become…’
the truth about family
I was born into a quasi-fragmented family predicated on emotional instabilities. For me, my parents and baby brother were all I needed. As I grew older, my notions of setting up international footprints was prevalent and thus it was important for us {especially for me} to build that relationship with my extended family. No uncle should be less than a father and not cousin less than my very own brother.
8 years of Indian classical dance lessons and some 4 months in India with training, I was prepared to showcase what I had learnt. Each dance is a lesson from the Hindu holy scriptures. I was able to pick and choose what elements I wanted to showcase. For a 13 year old this was a great feat and to prove it were my father’s tears in his speech as I portrayed a young girl transitioning into a women. I used this day, 11 August, to bring my family together and enabled it completely through each dance inspired off of Vedic verses written about family, support and unconditional love.
From my understanding, I came from a world bounded within the borders of the United States, where I am adored and admired and completely loved. To leave that completely for the betterment of my future was a sacrifice I made for myself and my parents to demonstrate they have brought up an exceptional young woman. I have always seen the US as a safe haven that houses some of the most exceptional people in my life I have come across all around the world.
To see the atrocities, both natural and man-implicated, unravel in front of me through a computer screen or a phone notification is heartbreaking. There is nothing more that I want to do, but spread my arms and be able to hold each pasture, building, lake, street, carefree boarder within an embrace. I type this as my parents brace for the biggest storm that will come across their tracks. Holding down the fort that is my childhood home with Hurricane Irma on its way. I can’t help but ask my friends if they have prepared: “yes” with sandbags, candles, extra batteries, flashlights, boarded windows, gas filled and extra water to last us for days if we need to. And I know I am going to dread the text my father sends, “we lost power, there will be limited contact.” And then my prayers hoping I will not receive the following “***” - for “SOS, but will contact when safe.”
Unfortunately, I don’t have a positive end to this post, but to say one thing… even through the hardest of times it is resilience and the knowing that love exists that keeps everything so fresh and alive. And to the people who have threatened my home, I am a believer that the absolute worst will rain on you with vengeance. I may be far, but my support and allegiance will never demise.
