THE STORY OF US: Connectedness

"You rose into my life like a promised sunrise, brightening my days with the light in your eyes. I've never been so strong. Now I'm where I belong." - Maya Angelou
I have been thinking lately about connectedness and belonging. I am mesmerized that for Sailee, whose little life has intertwined into ours, there are series of moments and memories, schemas and relationships that are slowly, piece by piece, building her sense of belonging. To a child, a sense of belonging is as integral for their well-being as food is for their bodies. While basic needs such as food water and shelter are what children need to survive, a sense of belonging and connectedness are what children need to thrive. It is nourishment for their identities. At such a little age, Sailee already knows the characters in her life that are part of the pack. As she grows, so will her network of loved ones that she will know and remember and think about in reference to herself. It is what will give her a sense of self and the confidence to go out and build her individuality, with the knowledge that regardless of who she chooses to be or what she chooses to try, she has a web of people in her life that are bonded to her and move with her, expanding or tightening that connection as she needs it.

Since Sailee is a second generation Indian born in America, my hope is also that we can teach her and allow her to absorb as much of our language and culture as we possibly can infuse in her, and that she gets to know those loved ones who are near and far as much and as soon as possible, so that she can build those connections and hold them near to her heart. Recently, we lost my dear uncle in India who is loved and remembered. Satish Kaka was loving and spirited and I mostly remember laughing and joking with him when I visited India and when he came to stay with us in Houston when I was in high school. It saddens me that Sailee never got to meet him or so many others that we lost even before she was born.

The most we can do is teach her and give meaning and life to the memories we have that she never got to have, and hope that she is as fond of our stories as we are. Our wish is that through our own recollections, pictures, and words, those connections always remain strong and live on through her from one generation to the next.