I took a glance at the clock and was surprised by the late hour. Neal and I had a rare date night tonight. He's been battling something more than a cold for weeks and finally is recovering, so we spent some quality time together (read that as my chatting his ears off and probably sending him into a relapse). It's funny, isn't it, that it's just the two of us in the house, yet that good time together can still be difficult to come by.
But I'm not here to write about date night. All day I thought about my theme for the month, and I settled on an aspect of life that fascinates me: my heritage.
Like so many Americans, I am pure mutt. What I find super interesting is how we mutts often identify with one specific nationality, and how that identification can shift over time. When I visit a country from which my ancestors came, I get pretty fired up about that culture. Among my future (way in the future at this point) travel plans are visits to more of the countries that spawned me. A few that didn't, too!
This post was way more specific when I was writing it in my head in the shower, but I offer the late hour as my excuse for the poor execution. Help me out, will you, by letting me know what ties you to your heritage the most?
I think I would have to say my natural gifts/talents. I come from a working class French & Syrian background on my mother’s side (strange combo I know) and as you may have guessed, crocheting and fiber arts are a huge part of both of those cultures. When I crochet, sew or make tapestries, I feel closer to my culture and background. On my father’s side, I have the eastern European stuff: German, Polish & Russian, and that side of the family I always associate with cooking and lifestyle (I do love cold wintry weather). I think it depends on what your heart feels.
I identify most with the Scots portion of my ancestry. I get a big lump in my throat and tears when I hear the opening notes of “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes. Oh, and my heart begins to race at the sight of a brae laddie in a kilt 🙂
I’m lucky in that my family can trace where we come from back to 1180. Yes. Crazy I know. But, I’m the 12th generation to be born in America. My family is freaking insane about being “AMERICAN”. Even though we can trace back to France in 1180 ….. everyone in my family is proud to say that we are early arrivals in America.
I liked this post. You’re too hard on yourself, my Bev.
It’s the Mexican side because I grew up around my mother’s family. Of course, now I see that they aren’t nearly as “Mexican” as I was led to believe growing up. *L*
xo
Food. It always comes back to food. I identify with the Italian because I have memories that revolve around Italian food and the type of family that revolves around that food. That side of me is more “pure” and therefore most likely that’s the other part of the reason. However, all of my best food memories are of Italian food and the holidays that caused them.