My daughter jokes and says, “I need to go to Dubai. It is the land of my people.” It isn’t. But maybe something stirs inside her. Maybe she feels it.
And I wonder, which is the land of my people. I am an immigrant with a cacophonous mix of ancestors. All of them different from the other. In opposition. In other eras they’ve been at war. Yet their genes mix harmoniously within me.
Still I long for a place to rest, to fit, to be non-anomalous.
This place is my home, but that place could easily be. I seem to fit everywhere and nowhere.
And I realize that the earth is the land of my people. Here under the same sun, the same moon, the same velvet blanket of stars, this is the land of our people. Here we are all one being, slowly spinning under a spotlight, in the darkness, like a whirling dervish in slow motion. Why then did we build borders to separate ourselves?
This is the Journey to Joy series. Notice something that brought you joy and share it on your own blog or in the comments. Don’t forget to ping back so we can spread the joy further in this journey called life.
18 responses to “The Land of My People”
Beautiful post, Alegria. Although I love my home country very much, after traveling for so many years the Earth feels like my home. Oh, that everyone could visit other cultures, at least for a while. I think it would help us to understand and help each other a lot more.
That’s so true Susan! I feel the same way. Earth feels like home to me too.
What a beautiful, reflective and thought-provoking piece, Alegria. Not so much with the mix of genes, but your words resonate with my feeling like a nomad without a home because my dad was in the navy and we travelled, moving home/base a lot.
So glad it touched you Brenda. As the daughter of a Navy man I’m sure all the moving was difficult on you and your family, though I’m sure it has widened your perspective greatly.
Thanks very much for reading and appreciating.
It’s a sad set-up right now, isn’t it? Money, greed, power… all seem to rule our world. But I’m quite happy to join Team Human with you, Alegria xx
Thanks for joining the team Jo. We have to keep the humanity part of being human alive so that we can evolve to better things beyond all this.
Thanks for reading! 💕
I ‘feel’ this.
It’s so interesting your daughter says that. I feel similarly about Nepal sometimes, even though I know very little of the country, other than what I’ve researched. I’ve had dreams of racing fast Friesian horses up a mountain to get medicine to a remote people.
I also write stories where I’m often the last of my kind in an inhospitable environment. Eventually, surprisingly, I find many others like me, and everything turns out lovely.
I’m hoping we get to the part of the story in our country, where everything turns out lovely.
What beautiful dreams Rose. And that they turn out lovely is key. Yes, humanity will get to that part too. We just may have to walk through hell to get to heaven.
Thanks for being here and appreciating my thoughts.
Ah, so beautiful! Team Human – I’m with you, Alegria! Thank you for this beautiful post that could also be a prayer!
What a beautiful thing to say Wynne! Thanks so much for being here and appreciating my friend. 💕
Well said. No matter how many times we hear the famous quote, “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” our society still fails that lesson. It is disgusting that we demonize immigrants for problems that have nothing to do with them.
Thanks for your message Pete. And that quote rings even truer today. I would hope we don’t forget, but unfortunately it appears like we may have.
Thanks for reading and appreciating.
This resonates with me, especially the last part. These days I feel that we need to pick a place and hope for the best…
It certainly feels that way. Thanks for reading Margie.
It’s that thing in us that’s always wants to claim something as our very own 🙂.
You are right Jan. The ego.
Thanks for reading.
Beautifully said. No answer about the borders, but can’t help wondering the same thing.
Thank you Ally. Appreciate your lovely comment. And I think many of us wonder about this.
Thanks for being here. 💕