International Peace Day!

Today is International Peace Day. While I personally have never suffered a true hardship as such (if you can call lack of electricity or running water 24/7, having to study in a candle light or having only a pair of flip flops as your only shoes for a whole year a hardship, then yes, I have had a hard life).

I did not have much while growing up but one thing I always had was a roof over my head, three basic meals, a loving family and above all, a place that I called home, I belonged to a village, a community. I had a sense of belonging. I was born in India and therefore an Indian, that was my identity.

Then opportunity knocked on the door, came to America and now I have not one, but two homes, my home where my family still resides and my adopted home, the United States of America. My children are privileged, they will always have a place that they can call home.

While I hear of the suffering of the refugees, I will never know what it is like to not have an identity, to not know where you belong. My heart goes out for them, I feel sad whenever I watch a news segment, then quickly forget about them. But this time, I haven’t been able to forget since watched them being compared to skittles. Has it really come down to this??? This great nation who opened the door for me and millions like me, was great then and it still is and will do the right thing. Sorry friends, I know it's only a Wednesday, but Friday came early, and this is my rambling! I am sad and distraught. Please do let me know in the comments if you too are struggling with the current state of affairs. This painting or mural stands on the front wall of my house where I grew up. My Jagruti house.

Comments

My self care journey - Oxygen mask.

“In the event of a sudden drop in pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from above. Secure your own mask first before assisting others.” The first time I heard this, I was flying for the first time in my life on an international flight from Mumbai to Atlanta via London. I was so excited to go to America on my own that I did not really pay that much attention to this routine preflight announcement. Since I had flown to America, it also meant flying back, again, several times to go home. I heard the same announcement during all those trips but at that point, they were still some words, their true meaning still had not registered. Then came another first time of my life, this time it was flying with my first born, for the first time. By this time, I was not as excited about flying, the novelty had completely worn off. Now I am only concerned about the safety of my baby, he is sitting in my lap, one year old. Then they make the above preflight announcement, in several diffe...

An Abundance of Flowers !

An Abundance of Flowers It’s one of the writing prompts for April. Spring arrives , bringing with it an abundance of flowers. It’s finally here in the Northern Hemisphere, and that means a world bursting into bloom. I grew up in a tropical country where there was no distinct fall, and therefore, no spring. Everything stayed green throughout the year. But now, living far above the tropics, I experience the beauty of seasonal change. With fall comes the shedding of leaves, and spring brings a wave of colors. The first to bloom around here are the daffodils . I had planted a few bulbs a few years ago and happy to say that they have multiplied . Before moving to the U.S., I had never seen a daffodil. There’s something about them that I can’t quite put into words, but their sight always fills me with hope and happiness. Some years, we’ve had snow on the ground, and yet, these bright y...

Flying !!

Next week, I am flying back home, to India. And as much as I love to travel, I do not like flying. It’s not just a mild dislike—it’s a genuine dread. Nearly 30 years ago, I got on a plane to come to the US, eventually making it our home. But it also set the stage for a lifetime of back-and-forth journeys to visit family, most of our family still lives in India including parents. Flying is unavoidable now, no matter how much I wish otherwise. A majority of the time, we plan these trips months in advance but have also flown at a day's notice. Thirty years ago, though, things were different. There were no nonstop flights between the U.S. and India. And even though a trip like that involved multiple stops, layovers, and logistical challenges, it wasn’t such a hassle. It was pre 9/11. Now, we are simply used to it. That’s just the way. A few years ago, they started offering nonstop flights from the US to India. Flights from JFK, New York to Delhi or Mumbai in 15...

Rekha's Ramblings

Search This Blog