Where Are You From?

"Where are you from?" the questioner asks.

“I am from my mother,” I answer.

“No,” the questioner states, “No, where are you from? Where are your parents from?”

“Oh my answer does not suffice?  Let me set you right.

As I stand before you, I do not know all that you ask.  My mother was adopted and based on retold stories, this is what I know.  My mother’s mother was Irish.  Her father may be a Romanian Gypsy Jew.  Or another story includes Polish too.

Now with my father, again, the truth is not so clear.  My father’s mother was from the mountains of China.  Her mother was a Chinese Gypsy.  Her father was dark skinned, known as black.  His origin is not solid as well.  We believe his roots traces back to some part of Africa.  As for my father’s father, he was born in a place known as B.C. The story is: he was French and First Nations as known as Metis.

So based on all of these, I am of my mother can’t you see.  My birth mother is a human being.  

Therefore, I am a human being of Earth. 

I stand before you of this Earth. Like my mother and father, I am the same as you.  I am a being of Mother Earth.

Does the answer fit your needs? If not, let me be.

I will continue to say this. I am of that called Mother Earth.  I am water. I am air. I am fire and I am earth: all the same of the Mother Earth.  I am the same as you.  I am a being of Earth.

Are you confused by my answer?

Let me further clarify and unearth the truth to satisfy you for what it’s worth.

After creating my ancestral tree which came before me are at my feet. I looked to my body. I am these hands of flesh. I am these feet as to where I stand.  I am the reflection that I see in your eyes as you look at me.  I am this voice, sometimes strong and sometimes weak.  I am solid therefore I am of this Earth.

I am from Mother Earth.  I am the same as you.

Based on my skin light olive to white; based on my eyes that shift from green, gold, and brown; based on my hair that curls when soaked, I am still from the Earth.

I am from all the colours of the indigenous wheel: Red, White, Black, and Yellow.  I am of all these, therefore I claim that I originate from the Earth.

At this time I will also say that my origin is of the day: the sun that lights my way.  I am also that of the night when darkness comes to steal my sight.

I am of the Earth rooted with my feet and breath. I am seeded here as you can see.  I remain with the fact that I am of Mother Earth. I am the same as thee.

My spirit is different than yours, could that be? Yet love is within you and me.

So different is not true, we are still the same, can’t you see.  I am from my mother.  I will call her, Mother Earth.

My Father is that of the sky which is within the sparkle of my eyes; all that is seen and unseen; all that is within me.  I am from that of which dreams.”

Embedded in My Heart

I love children’s music and watching children dance, especially little ones that just learned to walk.  They bounce up and down sometimes with large diapers.  They’re so adorable. 

I remember when my boys were babies and they first learned to walk.  That’s over 17 years ago.  I was living with my parents and we had an open concept living and dining room.  We had a large blue reclining chair and an old wood stove that separated the two areas.  Andre, my oldest by 12 minutes, already walked while holding the couch but this day was different.

Andre let go of the couch and balanced on his legs, slowly crouching down and lifting up again.  He moved one foot forward and then the next.  I jumped up and started clapping in excitement.  He was startled and dropped down on his bottom.  He didn’t realize I was that close.  He was wearing a cloth diaper because the cost of a disposal ones were ridiculous for twins.  His bottom was padded and he just looked at me.  I told him I was sorry and asked him to try again.  He pulled himself up and made his way around the blue chair. 

I started to laugh and giggle with him.  He went forward a few steps and then fell on his bum.  My mother was with us and of course she was cheering him on.  Damian was sitting in the living room area watching.  Until that day Damian didn’t even attempted to stand up.  He gathered all his strength and pulled himself up.  Oh my goodness.  He wobbled and then landed on his bum.  He started to cried.  I told him it was okay.  It was his first try.  He didn’t even use the couch!  What do you expect, Sweetie?

Andre was doing laps around the chair and Damian watched us cheering him on.  I couldn’t hold back my excitement.  Damian forced himself to move.  He pulled himself up again and took two steps.  He gently sat back down.  Each time he tried he moved more steps. I couldn’t help but giggle.  They were both so adorable in their oversized cloth diapers walking around the chair.  I jumped on the chair and peeked over at them as they moved and smiled as they came around to the front.  My mother was sitting at the dining room table and then she decided to sit on the floor as they walked around.

I asked them if they could walk around the other way, counter clockwise. They didn’t understand right away but they got the idea.  Round and round they went and we all enjoyed every minute of it.  They both were walking.  My mother finally looked at me and said you are in serious terrible.  Maybe, but at that moment it was fulfilling.  They finally tired themselves out and we settled in the living room.  I stroked their hair and gave them celebratory kisses.  We settled down and built a puzzle together and the experience was over.

Even now, I still remember the experience with a great deal of happiness.  I’m sure they don’t remember but the sensations and feelings are embedded in my heart.