The World According to the Jazzical Man: Where Am I From?

A while ago when they were younger my girlz asked me “Who am I? Where do I come from?”

I replied back to them “You are made up of all kinds of mixed ethnicities, Russian, Chechen, Ethiopian, and Cherokee Indian. You don’t have to choose one over the other.”

“But Dad, who am I? What do I identify as? Am I white, black, what?”

Such a tough question to ask, an even tougher question to answer. Finally after a few minutes:

“You are right, I don’t know the answers either, but your TRIBE will be the people who love and respect you for you, and you feel the same way about them. You are a child of the world. In that world you will run into people who will ultimately become your best friends. Some times they will not. But the people you can see forever with will be part of your internal world. Your tribe. That knows no boundaries, and race, creed, color, economic or social status, none of that matters. You will know them when you see them….”

Of course that was no answer to their dilemma but then they were young. As they have gotten older, and especially after their first trip to Armenia and all the people they have met since, they are starting to get the meaning. One day Dasha said, “Dad, I am getting what you meant.” Because little bit by little bit they started incorporating all the elements of our family and those around us.

They learned that they are people of the world but their heritage is already built in them. All they have to do is access it.

Yes, it is a harder struggle than just saying “I am Italian”, but the cool thing is that they get to be the very best of everyone they come in contact with, and that makes them unique, special. And people will want to be in their orbit….

I am proud to say that my girls are just like me, full of the world in all its multiplicities of light and life. And their tribe is growing and growing…

See what I am saying?

#whereamIfrom #myperspective #worldmatters