Finding Your Roots

I've just been skimming over the public library's list of new books and came across a non-fiction called In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past by Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. I read the publisher's (Crown Publishing Group, NY) excerpt on the material and came across a mind-opening statement. It is something that I, as a white American, have never been forced to think about...yet occasionally have sympathized with, having a partial European Jewish heritage. Here is the section that really made me think:

Unlike most white Americans who, if they are so inclined,
can search their ancestral records, identifying who among
their forebears was the first to set foot on this country's
shores, most African Americans, in tracing their family's past,
encounter a series of daunting obstacles. Slavery was a
brutally efficient nullifier of identity, willfully denying black men
and women even their names.

Even though I haven't yet tackled the family tree to trace my ancestry, I cannot imagine not having access to such simple facts. Names. Countries of origin. Wars involved. Immigration waves. Diseases and illnesses. And the more intricate details that come with them: cultural pride, heritage, recipes, songs, stories, and most importantly, that feeling of being connected, knowing where you came from.

I am sorry for any of the people in our country who are unable to reach back into time and discover their roots, for our histories and the histories of our bloodlines are part of what make us who we are. How many times do kids and adults have conversations with their peers about which nationality they are, where their grandparents came from, which recipes they learned from their moms, who learned from their moms, who learned from their moms?

Just think about it a little...have sympathy - and empathy - for those around you who may secretly be struggling to figure out who they really are.

Worcester delights

Worcester has some fun little places to check out. There's karaoke at Ralph's Rock Diner, dollar drafts at the Hotel Vernon, cheap, greasy Puerto Rican food at Sazon Latino Restaurant, tasty sushi at Takara (excellent service but the atmosphere is sometimes lacking) and mixed Asian cuisine at Nancy Chang Restaurant (the spicy salt and pepper prawns are delicious and they give you a heaping plateful!). There are yummy turkey burgers and beers at Brew City (though I am sure most people go for the beef burgers), salsa dancing at Bocado Tapas Bar & Restaurant (live band on Thursdays!) and also there are Noches Calientes at the Hanover Theatre on Thurs through the summer. I have yet to find a good pizza place. I think in the 6.5 months that I've lived here I haven't ordered pizza once! I've heard that Kelly Square Pizza has some tasy pies but I haven't experienced them yet. Oh boy, look at that list of culinary delights! Are you on your way to Worcester yet??

Upon reflection...

She said, "Be gentle with yourself."

Engagements. Reunions. A back-log of assignments.
Body-fit competition. Eating healthy. Living a little.
Searching for Mr. Right. Discovering myself.
Getting to know me. Getting to know you. Reminders.
Finding god. Someone to talk to. Getting a kitten...or two?
Sleep more. Slow down a bit. Time is what you've got.
You ARE making a difference in their lives.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
Even Dr. Suess knows the answers :)